The Legend of Zelda: The Age of Darkness
by RickGiriamax
Summary: When a new Evil strikes Hyrule after so many ages of peace, stories that had until now been thought to be myths start to make sense. It will then be time for a young boy to come forth and follow the path of fire, blood, death and despair that the Gods have laid out for him in order to save Hyrule from a new Age of Darkness... if he overcomes his own inner demons.
1. ABOUT THE STORY AND DISCLAIMER

This story is set in an alternate timeline after "Twilight Princess", diverging at some point before the events of "Four Swords Adventures", in an era called as the "Shadow Era" (Source: "The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia"). The regions from the land of Hyrule still has some of the names from Twilight Princess, in case you want to look up for a map, but centuries have made changes in the world (as always happens), though there are still some places that are more or less the same.

**DISCLAIMER: **All The Legend of Zelda related content present in this story is copyrighted and/or registered trademarks of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto.


	2. PRELUDE

Time… it has been our curse and blessing ever since the beginning of the Ages… ever since the Goddesses descended into the void and brought Hyrule into existence, Time has been our enemy and ally: it makes way to the reach of Darkness, and brings forth the hour of Light. Time also makes us remember, and Time can also make us forget. It has been so long ago that the ancient legends are now lost in Time… but there is one that we should always remember…

In the ancient days, before Time swept our ancestors by, there was a Princess. She had once a dream, a dream of hope that there would come the Time for a young boy to awaken, to come forth and become the great Hero of Time. He would open the gates for the Darkness to enter the Sacred Realm, and then force it back into the void with the power of the Goddesses and their Sacred Blade. Power… Wisdom… Courage… they would once again be one and destroy Evil forever… or so they thought.

Many ages have been since, and Evil has struck Hyrule many times over. To protect our world, the Sages, with the power of the Goddesses, have sent the Hero through time, brought him back and then reshapen the lands that the Goddesses created; hidden the sacred treasures in the waters of Time; locked Evil in the Twilight Realm; always the Goddesses have ensured that the Hero of Time be reincarnated to fight away the forces of Darkness… always has he succeeded.

* * *

><p>It is a new era. The Land of Hyrule has been at peace for so long that the old legends now live only in the hearts of the elders, on each verse of an old song and in the stone tablets in the halls of the Royal Family. It has been so long since the King of Evil, Ganon, was finally defeated. But the wings of Darkness will always find a way to cover us under its shadow…<p>

The people of Hyrule have begun to feel it, though they don't know… even I have begun to feel it… the Emissary of Darkness has finally awaken, and its dream is the dream of Darkness, its power is the power of Darkness, and its way is the way of Darkness.

It is finally Time… Princess Zelda, thy Power shalt be mine… call forth the Hero of the Legends from old… may his spirit awaken in his reincarnated self… may the strength of his Courage repel that of Darkness... oh, Goddesses! Thou servant prays that the Time hasn't come for Hyrule to fall in an Age of Darkness…

Dream again, young Zelda… dream of Life, Sacred Princess… thou art the Emissary of Light, and hence I claim to thee to aid our hero in his quest…

Awake… awake, young Link, Hero of Old… awake and deliver us… thy Time has now come…


	3. AWAKENING

**A/N: This is the first part of this story; it is called: ****THE AWAKENING OF THE HERO**

* * *

><p>"What do you think?" asked Fado, one of the soldiers of the Royal Guard.<p>

"No idea" replied Nador, his fellow soldier.

They were posted on one of the watchtowers of Hyrule Castle, peering at the horizon during night shift. Something had caught their attention and they were now looking in the direction of the Forsaken Wastelands. Fado had thought at first that it was just a wisp of a cloud, but now he was sure that it was no regular cloud. He had shown it to Nador, and he also thought that something was definitely going on in the Wastelands.

They were now adding this to the long list of strange things that had been going on lately: people suffering of sudden anxiety or depression; riots in Kakariko Village; the Zora Queen's sudden death, leaving young Prince Rido being barely more than a tadpole, hence unable to rule; now a dark cloud stirring in the Barrens… Fado thought that it was about time they started to think that these were not isolated events.

Nador was thinking the same thing, and he was about to suggest sending a note to the Captain of the Royal Guard when there was a sudden flash in the distance, a vortex of energy rising from the Barrens and into the dark cloud, which grew larger and larger, until it covered almost the entire visible part of the Wastelands.

"What… was… that…?" stuttered Nador.

Fado was speechless, his jaw unable to move in order to articulate a single word. Maybe Nador wasn't able to see it, maybe he was daydreaming, but he could see it: the dark horse galloping across Hyrule Field, a horse that was carrying a single rider, clad in a mantle of fire…

* * *

><p>Princess Zelda woke up startled. She sat up, threw the silk blankets away from her and hugged her knees still shaking. She closed her eyes, trying to fight away the memory of the dream, but it only came more vivid. She opened her eyes and noticed, due to the blurriness of her sight, that she had been crying. She looked at the window and saw that it was already past dawn, so she was officially 18 now.<p>

She got out of bed and walked barefoot to her washroom. The morning sunlight illuminated the marble walls and reflected around the room giving it a warm look, but it still wasn't enough to overcome the weight that she felt on her. She rinsed her face with some water and looked at herself in the mirror, only to see her 'just-got-out-of-bed' expression mixed with a 'scared-to-death' look staring back at her.

She kept staring at her reflection, examining her features which were now those of a woman, and grabbed a silver brush from a basket and began working on her golden hair. She brushed and brushed, like trying to also brush away the dream, but it was still vivid as if it had actually happened. She then tossed the brush into the basket, collapsed into the floor and began crying, finally giving in to the memory of the horrific dream she had had:

_She was standing in the middle of the Castle's Courtyard; the gate in front of her was open. She could see Hyrule through it, like if there was no town or barriers in front of it. People were happy, Hylian life going as usual. She sensed joy as she saw children running to their parents, laughing, chasing at the cuccos around and playing with their siblings._

_She also saw the Forest of Faron, thriving with life and full of sweet scented blossoms, and she felt their essence in the wind; the Gorons, the Mountain People, partying around with joy for their new harvest of rock sirloins, and she laughed like a little child at their silly games. Even the shy people of the rivers, the Zoras, rejoiced with the upcoming season of fish coming from the lands beyond the edge of the world._

_She saw then something stirring far away, where the Sacred World gets to an end and the Forsaken Wastelands begin. A shadow was moving in the west, a mantle of Darkness stretched from the Barrens' core. She saw fear, where there had been hope; she felt grief, when laughter had prevailed; there was death, where there had been life; now was dark, what once had been light._

_From the Darkness came a horse, a horse so black that she barely saw it in this new dark. She saw it dashing through the ashes of the once thriving field and then, as a rider, she saw a ghost. But it was no mere ghost, or a Poe from a graveyard of old, but a fiery wraith that devoured life with the fire of its robes._

_She tried to scream, but she couldn't speak; she wanted to run, but she couldn't move; she started to cry, like she never had laughed; but there was a light, and she finally managed to run, and so she ran into the light, and ran into a new hope._

_She saw that light came from a boy, a boy so young that was barely a man; his robes were green as if made from the forest and its face was godlike, as if crafted from Nayru's hands. She ran towards the boy and he stretched out a hand, so she took it while he raised a Sacred Blade into the sky. She smiled in hope but it was vain, as the wraith came forth and engulfed them in flames._

_Zelda saw the boy, his face growing dark, his eyes glowed red as the Dead Mountain's heart. Oh, young boy, oh handsome god. He fell into the darkness as Zelda, from him, started to break apart. She began to feel desperate, she started to cry, but the heavens then opened, and again there was light._

_She saw the sun, shining in the sky; she saw she was surrounded by a halo of light. She thought for a moment, and touched the boy's arm; his skin was on fire… but then she woke up._

A knock on the door brought her back to her senses. She now thought that this may have been no dream, as something stirred inside of her. She heard the knock again and she stood up and opened; Viacka, one of her maids, came into her room with a reverence, a silver tray in her hands holding a cup of tea made out of Faron Leaves, 4 pieces of toasted bread and a slice of Faron goat-cheese.

"Good morning, my lady" she said in a courteous manner.

"Good morning, Viacka" replied Zelda, managing a smile. "Thank you."

"My pleas…" began Viacka raising her eyes and stopping cold when finally catching a glimpse of Zelda's disastrous look.

"Sorry" said Zelda, "bad dream, that's all."

"No need to apologize, my lady" said Viacka with another bow while blushing. "Pardon me for my rudeness."

"Nonsense" said Zelda, lifting Viacka's face with her hand and smiling at her. "It's ok, Viacka. Would you please help me clean up the mess of my face?" she asked kindly.

"Yes, my lady" replied Viacka and she turned to the washroom. When she returned, she stood up behind Zelda's chair and began combing. "My lady?" she asked shyly.

"Yes, Viacka?" replied Zelda while sipping her tea.

"Happy Birthday" said Viacka.

"Thank you Viacka" replied Zelda while smiling.

An hour later she had bathed and dressed, and she finally resembled the Princess Zelda that everybody knew. Viacka exited the room and Zelda climbed down the stairs after her, but after a few steps she felt the back of her hand prickling. She removed one of her silk gloves and saw it: a golden triangle of light, glowing on the back of her right hand.

* * *

><p>The Forest of Faron was once believed to be the source of all life on Hyrule. It was full of rich fruits, strange but nearly magical creatures and it also housed a tribe of people, who claimed to be descendants of the forest itself, and whose Mayor kept close friendship with the King of Hyrule.<p>

The people from the tribe of Faron dedicated their whole lives to growing and caring for the life of the forest. They only built their houses in natural clearings (surely created by the Goddesses for them) using dirt and rocks; melted ores to smith their tools; harvested animals for their milk and wool and grew plants for their own feeding. Peace was their only law, and life was their only real joy. It was in these woods that lived a young boy named Link.

Link's mother had died about a year ago and his father worked at the town's shop all day long, so Link had had to find something useful for him to do for his town, as every man in Faron was supposed to. He had just turned 18 a few days ago and now he was working as the smith's apprentice.

Mr. Regol had been the smith of the village since years before Link had been born. All tools that were being used for farming, shearing, building, and so on had been crafted by him. Link remembered that he had once forged, for Link's 10th birthday, a small iron shield and given it to him for present. He told him that it was every man's duty to keep his people safe, as not everyone in Hyrule would be from Faron.

Link hadn't seen the meaning of these words until they had had to fight of a pack of wolves that had entered the forest, no more than 6 months ago. Link didn't know how he did it, he explained later to his raging father, but he had simply lunged for a large knife (usually used to chop pumpkins and melons) and grabbed his small shield. He came out of the house and slammed the shield into the head of the one he knew to be the alpha of the pack, and then sliced through the air barely touching the wolf's skin. Somehow, the wolf began to recoil, all of them did, and then they ran into the forest never to be seen again.

Rondel, Link's father, had been interrupted then in his lecture when Mr. Regol had taken Link's arm and raised his hand into the air while the rest of the village cheered and applauded. This incident had made Link extremely hero-like to little children and very interesting for young girls (and the fact that he had grown to be very handsome was a plus to this). Every boy in the village talked about him like if he had come out of an old legend, one of those told by the elders when they were by the fire on the eve of harvest season.

Link was tending the furnace of the smith's shop, trying not to burn his hands for the 6th time, when the doorbell chimed and Tara, his best friend and the only girl that didn't giggle in his presence, came in smiling.

"Hi there, Link" she said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Tara… ouch!" replied Link, rapidly yanking his hand and dipping it in cold water. "Damn, not again."

"Don't worry" said Tara, trying hard not to laugh. "You'll get the hang of it… eventually."

Tara had been friends with Link since childhood. She was only 1 year younger than him, and he had always cared for her and protected her. His mother had thought that maybe she would bear Link's children one day, but they had never seen each other with feelings other than strong friendship.

"Can I help you?" asked Link, pretending to be offended.

"My mother has asked me to bring her kitchen knife" she replied, like if nothing had happened. "It's lost its edge and she needs it to get sharpened."

"No problem" he said, and took a set of flint stones out of the drawer. "Hey, is your father taking you to the festival today?"

"Oh, yeah, right" replied Tara, suddenly remembering, "Princess Zelda's 18th birthday is today" she said, not much excited about it. "I think so; he needs someone to keep him awake" they both laughed. "It's about a four hour trip by cart to get to Hyrule Castle Town."

"That's true" agreed Link. He unconsciously began scratching the back of his hand and then resumed sharpening the knives. "I think Mr. Regol is going. You know the king ordered him to craft a sword? He doesn't allow me to see it, but it's made out of silver and steel. The King will hold out a tournament and give it to the winner."

"Do I feel like you are wishing to go?" asked Tara.

"Nah, just a bunch of noisy people anyways" he places both knives on the counter. "Here you go. Good as new."

Tara grabbed the knife and sheathed it. Then, she leaned forward and gave Link a small peck on the cheek.

"Thanks Link! I'll see you later, right? Lunch at my house?" she said from the door.

"'Wouldn't miss it! I love your mom's cooking!" said Link.

"Well, actually I'll do the cooking today" she said winking an eye cheerfully.

"Oh..." said Link. "I think I remembered… I'M JOKING!" he said laughing at Tara's expression. "More the reason to go" he winked an eye back at her.

She smiled and waved at him while exiting.

* * *

><p>It had been a few hours since Tara had come. Link was in the store room of the smith's shop when he felt like if being watched. He turned around and found out in surprise that he wasn't in the store room anymore; actually, he wasn't even in the forest. He looked around and saw a vast green field around him. It was dark, but he thought he saw someone walking towards him.<p>

Link blinked trying to accustom his sight to the dark and saw that the person walking towards him was a young man, about his age, clad in some sort of green tunic. Somehow, he felt like he knew the man, but he couldn't really recall who he was. He began walking towards him and he saw that the young man had an elegant and ornamented sword in his hand and an equally elegant shield in the other.

Link tried to call him, but he kept walking in his direction without stopping. Then, he heard a blast behind him, and caught the heavy sound of hoofs. He turned around and saw a demonic horse, black as coal and with glowing eyes, its rider engulfed in flames, galloping towards him.

Between him and the horse, he saw a young woman, her golden hair perfectly braided and her face peaceful and beautiful. She was clad in elegant clothes, too elegant actually, and had the Seal of the Royal Family emblazoned in the ornaments of her dress.

"Awaken, oh Hero… thy Time has come" she spoke in a soft and solemn voice.

He turned around to warn the young man but he was already there, less than 10 inches away from him. He saw his face, and saw his own.

He stumbled and fell back and realized that he was still in the store room. He was sweating and hyperventilating, shaken by the vivid memory of his… what, hallucination? The room was dark, as he had tripped and hence knocked over the candle that he had set on a table. He felt his right hand prickle and lifted it to the level of his eyes: a golden triangle of light was shining in his hand.


	4. THE CALL OF THE GODS

Zelda was in the Castle's library. She had been there for the past three hours, ever since she had come out of her room. She had been going through all the books and scrolls that she could find, and had found many references to the 'Sacred Triangle', or the 'Triforce', the 'Golden Triangle of the Goddesses', and so on; however, none of the books she had read so far had mentioned anything about 'triangles glowing in your hand'.

She felt this strange. She knew since she was a girl that the Royal Family had been trusted with the Triforce and held the Key to the Sacred Realm, but it had been ages since the dark days and now most people (except for the higher circles of Hyrule's royalty) thought those stories about the Hero of Time, and the ancient Sages, to be mere legends, bedtime stories for little kids, or a way for elders to remain interesting to younger generations.

The more she thought about the triangle in her hand (which had stopped glowing just a few minutes ago) she felt that her dream had actually meant something and was not a simple nightmare. She opened another tome of 'History of Hyrule' and began reading. When she felt a hand on her shoulder she dropped the book and she gasped while turning around.

"You should be rejoicing over the importance of this day, but instead you're locked up in the library" said her father, the King.

"Sorry, father" she said and rose to her feet with a bow.

"My dear Zelda" said the King lifting her face and cupping it with his hands. "You're no longer a little girl, and tonight we will present you as the Princess of Hyrule, now in role and not just title; however, you seem to be anxious and restless.

"I had a terrible dream, that's all… and I wanted some…" she thought about saying 'answers', but instead she said: "…distraction."

"Legends of old say that dreams are the way of the Gods to talk to us. That ancient Sages commune with us through our sleep" said the King with a smile. "Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. If the gods sent you a dream, they will send you the answers you need. Now come, my child. There are guests waiting for you."

Zelda followed her father down the stairs, the line she had last read flashing across her mind:

_"__The Triforce parts are resonating... they are combining into one again..."_

* * *

><p>Mr. Regol handed Link a cup of fine <em>Faron<em> C_hateau_ (a soft drink made out of Faron goat milk and honey). Link's hands were trembling, the golden triangle nowhere to be seen now. Mr. Regol sat across the table and took a sip from his own cup. Link had just finished telling him his vision, and Mr. Regol, who was actually one of the elders of the village, seemed to give it a great deal of importance.

"Then, time has finally come" he said.

"Time for what?" asked Link confused.

"Time… for the hero to appear."

Link kept staring at Mr. Regol. He kept his silence all the time, trying to read the expression in the old man's face. He was about to stand up when Mr. Regol spoke up again:

"Have you ever listened to the old legends, or ever wondered if they're true?"

"Do you mean all of those kid's bedtime stories about the Hero of Time and children embarking on long and dangerous adventures?" asked Link. "I've heard them, but they don't seem to be any way possible… I mean, what kind of parent would let their little kid go on a quest to save the world?"

"They're true, Link. They're so true that they are happening again. Link, I need you to come with me, I must show you something."

They rose and left the workshop. Mr. Regol took Link into the forest and walked in front of him in silence. Link kept looking around him all the time, and suddenly he noticed something strange: he hadn't seen any animals, not even a small bird or a squirrel; it was as if they had all disappeared. They kept walking deeper into the forest and then Mr. Regol stopped. Link stopped next to him and his eyes widened.

They were standing next to an old watchtower, vines covering almost its entire structure and its top rising above the level of the trees. Mr. Regol opened the door and motioned Link to enter.

"Is this safe?" he asked. The tower indeed looked so old that it could turn into rubble any time.

"I was here last night. I usually come here to relax, but there is something you must see" replied Mr. Regol.

They both entered the tower and climbed the circular stairs all the way to the top. When they got to the top, Link felt the soft breeze on his face. He smiled for a moment, as he noticed that he could see the edge of the forest from there and, if he forced his view enough, he could even see the top of Hyrule Castle's towers.

He was beginning to wonder what had Mr. Regol wanted him to see, when he noticed the answer by himself: all the way to the west, a dark cloud could be seen. Link looked at it for a few seconds, trying to find a way to explain its presence, but it was near noon, the sun still up in the sky, and it was still the middle of the harvest season, so there was no rainclouds in sight.

"That dark place is known as the Forsaken Wastelands or simply the Barrens" explained Mr. Regol. "It is said that it once housed the great tribe of the Gerudo, a race of thieves that dwelt in caves dug up into the rocky cliffs of the desert. Many ages ago, the King of Hyrule of the time declared that the Barrens were no longer part of the sacred land of Hyrule, and a wall was built on its edge, keeping everyone either in or out."

"What does it have to do with that dark cloud, or with me?" asked Link.

"The Gerudo had a leader, a King of Evil, one who wished to unite Hyrule and the Gerudos under his rule, his name was Ganondorf."

"Ganondorf? Isn't that the name of the evil king on every legend?" asked Link perplexed.

"It is said that Ganondorf was defeated, others say that he simply was locked in the void. One thing is for sure, Link: whenever Ganondorf approached, darkness covered the world."

"I don't understand" said Link.

Mr. Regol took Link's right hand, and the triangle appeared again.

"You have been called by the Gods, Link. You have been chosen. The spirit of the Hero has awakened in you and your destiny has been laid out in front of your eyes."

Link stared at his hand, doubting for a moment about all this. He had never given serious thought to the old Legends; he had always referred to them as 'bedtime stories' and mocked the idea of demons, beasts and haunted temples. He had been once to the old Forest Temple, where his people worshiped the spirits of the forest and had an altar to the Goddess Nayru, and he hadn't sensed it dangerous in any way.

"What should I do?" asked Link, surprising himself.

"You will go to the Castle. You will take my cart and bring the sword to the King. If you have been indeed chosen, the Gods will show you the way. Take Epona with you, she is a fine young horse and will be strong and fast enough for the road."

Link nodded and looked again at the darkness covering the Barrens.

It frightened him to embark on this quest, but he had a feeling that this was what he was meant to do.

* * *

><p>Epona had been saddled and the cart was loaded with supplies and a large wooden crate with the sword forged by the smith for the tournament. Tara and her father were readying another cart, ready to depart as well, and they had decided to march along.<p>

In Link's cart, there was another package, however. Mr. Regol had given it to him after he had returned from explaining his father his decision to go to the Castle, which he had taken surprisingly well ("somehow I knew this day would come" he had said while embracing Link). The package was a piece of cloth carefully draped around a sword and a medium-sized shield made by Mr. Regol ("you may need them both on the way, and the other shield is getting a bit small for you" had explain Mr. Regol).

Link got into his cart and took Epona's reins. He drove by Tara's father's cart, while they were both climbing into it.

"We're glad you decided to come with us" said Mr. Durian, Tara's father.

"Couldn't resist the spirit of adventure?" asked Tara playfully.

"Guilty!" Lied Link with a smile. "We should move on, festival begins at sundown and we must get there long before that."

The two carts began moving forward, their horses keeping a steady gallop all along. Tara and Link kept teasing each other and telling jokes they remembered since they had been little kids. Mr. Durian laughed hard at some of them and told some jokes of his own. When they came out of the forest, Link's face became grim at the sight of the dark cloud stirring in the west.

"What in the name of the Gods is that?" asked Mr. Durian.

"I don't know" replied Link, but it doesn't look good.

"Strange… well, we should keep moving" said Mr. Durian.

Link looked at the distance and saw Hyrule Castle's towers. It was still very far away from them, but he felt a sudden rush of courage, knowing that his fate lied ahead in that direction. He wasn't sure, but he suddenly thought that he heard a soft voice, like if the heavens were speaking to him, calling him: _"Come forth, Link… come forth, oh Hero… thou shalt be our Hope… thy Time has now come…"_

"Yes… we should" agreed Link, and both carts started to move forward again. All along, Link felt the back of his hand prickling.

* * *

><p>Zelda was with her father in the Great Hall of Hyrule Castle. Many aristocrats from Castle Town and fine merchants from all over Hyrule had come to present the Princess with luxurious gifts: one had brought her a diadem made out of pure gold and with a beautiful polished sapphire on it; another had gifted her with a small silver flute (the Princess was famous for her beautiful melodies); one merchant had given her a fine dress made out of white silk and threaded with golden strings, crowned with a delicate tulle threaded with strings of silver ("for when you find a proper suitor" he had said with respect making Zelda blush).<p>

The King was handing out invitations to the noble men that had come for tonight's festival, encouraging them to enter the tournament.

"We have requested for a notable smith for a great prize" he said to every one of them.

Zelda's hand kept itching. She knew that it was the triangle of light (she had seen it glow twice already), and she now knew that it was a piece of the legendary Triforce. What she didn't understand was why it was in her hand. She apologized to a couple of fair young girls that were talking to her, daughters of Kakariko Village's mayor, and she left the hall through a back-door into the gardens.

She sat on a bench and looked up at the sky. She saw a few birds soaring around one of the towers of the Castle and then she removed the glove. Indeed, the Triforce was shining in the back of her right hand, maybe brighter than ever. She touched it and it felt warm. Suddenly, she smiled; she realized that somehow she wasn't worried anymore about this.

The courtyard was then filled with a sudden light. Zelda rose to her feet and looked around. She realized that something about the place was different: it was as if every single structure was entirely made of silver. There was a beautiful shrine in front of her, with a fountain of crystalline water flowing in the middle of it.

The emblem of the Royal Family, made of finely polished gold, topped the fountain. She thought she could hear a whisper coming from it

She heard someone calling her, it was Viacka. She put on her glove again and stood up. As she walked towards her maid, she thought that maybe she would be able to endure the day.


	5. HYRULE CASTLE TOWN

They had made good speed, and it was still a couple hours before sundown when Link, Tara and Mr. Durian entered through the eastern gate of Hyrule Castle Town. The town had grown larger over the last decades, and another ring of walls had had to be added to protect the expanding city and market; in the very middle of the town, towering majestic and overwhelming to anyone who saw it for the first time (such as Link's case), was Hyrule Castle.

Link had a hard time to control his breathing. They were now filing along the cobblestone road that led into the main plaza, located in the southern part of the town, right in front of the Castle's entrance. When they entered the plaza, Link saw people, mostly pawns and merchants, putting up their tents and setting up the large dancing square.

"'Told you!" yelled Link at Tara over the noise. "Just a bunch of noisy people."

Tara laughed as they stopped next to a tent with the sign 'Faron Goods'. They got off their carts and began unloading their packages.

"I should go to the Castle and deliver the sword" said Link.

"Yes, you should" agreed Mr. Durian. "We'll wait for you over here."

Link grabbed the long crate under his arm and went ahead in the direction of the Castle. All along he tried to ignore the itch on his right hand, and he managed to do so by getting distracted with the small businesses that merchants were opening around the plaza. When he got to the door of the Castle, a soldier of the Royal Guard approached him.

"Halt! What business do you have at the Castle, young boy?" he asked in a patronizing way.

"I was sent by Mr. Regol, the smith. I'm to deliver the prize of the tournament to the Captain Leoni, of the Royal Guard" responded Link, handing out a roll of parchment.

The guard took the roll and read it carefully, and then he turned around and motioned his partner to open the gate for Link. He thanked the guard and went through the gate, feeling extremely nervous. The beauty of the gardens inside the Castle was simply overwhelming. Link hadn't started to wonder about the expenses of keeping a place like this when another guard approached him and motioned him to follow him, and led him to a door on the left side of the courtyard, Captain Leoni's office.

The Captain was a middle-aged man, roughly 48 years old, with a stern look. Link walked up to him and showed courtesy by making a small reverence and held out the crate.

"Don't bow, kid, I'm not the King" said Captain Leoni with a friendly tone.

"Sorry sir" said Link and came closer to him, leaving the crate on the fine polished desk. "Mr. Regol crafted it in person, exactly as the King requested."

"Excellent" said the Captain, not even looking at the crate and pulling a leather bag from one of his drawers and handing it to Link. "The agreed price: 800 rupees."

"Thank you sir" said Link, stowing the bag inside his satchel.

They both shook hands and the guard escorted him back to the gate. They were walking towards it when Link thought he heard someone calling his name, but he looked around and saw no one, so he exited the courtyard back into the plaza and returned to Mr. Durian and Tara, who had just finished setting up the stand.

* * *

><p>Sundown came, and along with it the great festival of Hyrule in honor to Princess Zelda's 18th birthday began. Fireworks lit the whole town and music sounded all around them and Tara grabbed Link's hand and dragged him to the dance floor, much to Mr. Durian's amusement. Three hours after the festival had begun, the King himself made an appearance in a podium in front of the table that had been set up for the Royal Family and announced that the tournament would be held in the amphitheater outside the southern gate, and every man over the age of 18 was invited to participate.<p>

"You should totally join in" said Tara.

"Yeah, right" said Link. "It's one thing to fight off a wolf…"

"A 'pack' of wolves if I remember properly" interrupted Mr. Durian.

"Ok ok, but those were animals, these are men that have been practicing for this moment their whole lives!" said Link.

"Come on! If you join the tournament I will ask my mom to cook one of her pumpkin pies just for you!" said Tara.

"I said no!" said Link in frustration.

* * *

><p>Link picked up the wooden sword that he had been given and the shield that Mr. Regol had crafted for him while waiting for his turn to come into the arena. They shield was light and strong at the same time, so polished that he could see his reflection on it. He had chosen a light armor made of steel with a helmet that matched it. Then, he heard his name and suddenly felt a rush of confidence flow through him while the gate opened and he came into the arena.<p>

He saw his opponent: a young man by the name of Taglo, son of a rich merchant from Kakariko Village. Link supposed that he was around 18 years old already and seemed to be very determined. Link started to approach, assessing his possibilities and taking a glimpse to his surroundings: he saw rocks, pillars around the place.

Taglo lunged at Link taking him by surprise and he quickly dodged him rolling aside. He stood up and faced Taglo again. Taglo rammed him again and Link took the impact with the shield, falling backwards and rolling again on the floor. People were chanting Taglo's name as Link got up again and got into a defensive stance. He began walking sideways and saw a pillar close to him.

Taglo rammed him again, but this time Link was ready: when Taglo was close enough, he jumped into the pillar, stepped on the side of it and pushed away, landing neatly behind his opponent. He held out his wooden sword and turned around making a spinning move with the sword held out horizontally. The sword hit Taglo in the back and he fell forward while the referee raised a green flag, Link's code color: he had won his first match.

Link's subsequent matches were each harder than the last. He nearly lost his 3rd one to a man around the age of 24, who made a somersault over him while he was crouching and nearly made a helm-splitting move on him, but he blocked it with his shield and made a thrust with his own sword at his opponent's chest. His 7th match, against a considerably larger man, had kept on for nearly half an hour, until his opponent made a bad move giving Link way to his own thrust into his side.

When Link got to the final match, his name was being chanted by almost the entire crowd. He was waiting outside the arena for his final match when Tara came running and hugged him. She was screeching like a little girl and her hair was all over the place, as if she had been pulling it in her excitement or fear.

"You have been amazing!" she yelled excited over the crowd.

"I still have one match to go" replied Link. "I heard that he is very adept and has beaten every opponent without mayor effort."

"It doesn't matter, Link!" she yelled. "If you lose, you'll be in second place, and there is a 10 000 rupees prize for the second place!"

Link's name was called.

"I have to go" he said.

"I'll return to the crowd, my father better be saving my seat" she said, gave him a peck on the cheek and left in a hurry.

Link went through the door of the arena and saw his opponent on the other side, draped in a black hooded cloak and wearing a dark armor. Link stopped cold and he unconsciously lowered his sword. Suddenly, the back of his right hand began to itch: it was him, he was sure of it.


	6. THE EMISSARY

Zelda had stayed inside the Castle all along. She had never enjoyed the tournaments that her father had held, as she thought them to be barbaric (even though she knew that non-lethal weapons were used all along); however his father had insisted that she at least watched the final match, so that she could personally present the winner with the prize, and she had reluctantly agreed; but when the time came for the final match to begin, and she took her place next to her father and saw the, ones that had reached the final, she froze in horror.

One of them was a young boy around her age, clad in a battered armor. He had brown hairs and beautiful blue eyes, and had a familiar face so handsome that she was only able to look away because she had recognized the other one as well: he was tall, clad in a dark hooded cloak, under which she could see an equally dark armor with silver and gold details. The light of the torches that illuminated the arena reflected on his cape, giving it the appearance of it being on fire.

Zelda could feel again the back of her hand itching. The boy seemed to be as scared as she was, given the fact that the dark figure was advancing and he was still by the door with his sword lowered. She heard the crown chanting the names of both of them: Link and Garoth, they called them. Zelda couldn't think properly, she tried to get her father's attention but he was leaning the other way talking to one of his counselors and laughing. She grabbed the arms of her chair and prayed for the Gods to aid them.

* * *

><p>Link saw his opponent marching towards him. He couldn't see his face, hidden under the hood of his black cloak and covered by a sort of mask. Without him knowing, Link had gone into a defensive stance and was waiting for Garoth to strike. Garoth raised his own wooden sword and struck down with all his strength and Link raised his shield blocking the blow.<p>

The crowd began roaring with excitement as the fight went on. Link and Garoth clashed their wooden swords so fiercely that Link thought he could actually see splinters flying every now and then; however, not even 5 minutes had elapsed when Garoth swung his sword so hard that, even though Link blocked it with his shield, it sent him flying to the wall of the arena and then into the floor.

His whole body felt like if he had broken half his bones and the world started to spin. Link saw his rival walk next to him and poke him with the tip of his wooden sword straight on the chest and the referee raised a red flag: he had lost. He raised his eyes and saw that Garoth had turned his back on him and was starring at the Royal table. He looked in the same direction and his heart began to race furiously, as he saw Princess Zelda looking straight at him.

* * *

><p>Zelda was standing next to her father, who was clapping and smiling. Couldn't he feel the dark aura that emanated from Garoth? She walked with her father to the stage were the prizing ceremony would take place, as she saw Garoth and Link, the latter still stumbling with dizziness, walking towards the exit of the arena. The King opened the crate with the sword forged by the smith of Faron and handed it, sheath and all, to Zelda for her to present it.<p>

"People of Hyrule!" called the King. "Today is a day of joy for all of us, as it is the day in which my daughter, Princess Zelda, becomes officially of age and takes on her role as Princess of Hyrule."

Everyone clapped and cheered. Zelda felt that her right hand was on fire, and she could almost see the glow of the Triforce through her silk glove. The King waited for everyone to be silent before continuing his speech:

"We are now standing along with two brave men of Hyrule who have fought bravely in this tournament and in honor for my daughter. Now, she will present the winner with this royal gift" he said as he nodded at Zelda who raised the silver and steel sword. It shone in the light of the torches and the moon that illuminated the stage.

To everyone's surprise, Garoth walked towards Zelda and unceremoniously took the sword from her hands and unsheathed it. The soldiers of the Royal Guard that were nearby ran towards the stage and formed a defensive perimeter in front of the Royal Family. Finally, Garoth spoke up in a low chilling voice that sounded like thousands of dark souls speaking from the void:

"You think you can stop me, the Emissary of Darkness?" he said, raised his hand at the guards and a jolt of dark energy burst from it in a dispersed pattern hitting the soldiers, who fell backwards.

Garoth started to laugh. All of this had taken Link by surprise, and he had stayed still the whole time; but now, all he could see was a wolf, a wolf so big and black that he knew couldn't be real. Then, Link realized that it was no wolf, it was Garoth, sword in hand advancing towards the Royal Family while the rest of the soldiers ran trying to get there first.

Link knew that they wouldn't reach them on time so, without second thoughts, he held up his shield, picked up a sword from one of the fallen guards and lunged forward, standing between a fear-frozen Princess Zelda and Garoth. He stood in a defensive stance and frowned. Garoth laughed again.

"You can't stop me, kid. You couldn't defeat me before, you won't do it now" said Garoth as he raised a hand again.

Link lifted his shield and the burst of energy hit it. He heard Princess Zelda gasp and felt her crouch behind him. He felt the shield getting hotter as Garoth persisted in his attack, but then something happened that neither one of them had expected: both Link's and Zelda's pieces of the Triforce began to glow as another golden triangle appeared on in a crystal orb that hung from Garoth's neck, and all of sudden the shield, polished to the edge of a mirror, returned the jolt of energy at Garoth who got it square in the chest and flew over a few meters.

"This isn't over!" he yelled, as he stood up again. "The Age of Darkness is near, and you shall all bow to the Dark King for the rest of your lives! Behold the power of MY Lord!"

Garoth raised the sword and a dark cloud formed over the Castle as a black demonic horse came through the door. He climbed onto it and his robes turned into a mantle of fire as he galloped into the west, while the dark cloud kept growing, spreading all over Hyrule.

Link collapsed into the ground tired, his body aching all over. He turned his head and saw Princess Zelda lying unconscious next to him and then he passed out.


	7. HERO

_Awaken… oh Hero… thy Time has come…_

_Follow my voice… come forth, Link… come forth…_

_Thou art our only hope…_

Link woke up startled from his dream. He was lying on a bed with soft blankets on a large white marble-walled room. Torches hung from the walls and illuminated the whole place. Link sat up and realized that he was in a sort of infirmary, as there were several beds lined up along the wall, most of them occupied by several men, probably the soldiers that had been attacked.

He looked around and saw that his shield was set against the wall. His heart sank, as he saw that the fine shield had been nearly melted in the middle of it, so it was now practically useless. He got out of bed and put his boots, which had been set by the foot of his bed, back on. He then put his coat back on and walked towards a door that led to a small courtyard.

Despite the darkness of the sky, still covered by the black cloud, the garden in front of him was beautiful. Blossoms filled the bushes all around him and there were marble benches set around a small fountain. He began pacing around the garden, relishing in the beauty of the place and he stood in front of the fountain. How had he gotten there? Were Mr. Durian and Tara ok?

"You woke up…" said a voice behind him.

Link turned around startled and saw Princess Zelda standing behind him. Link was speechless; she was so beautiful that he at first thought that he was having another vision and that he was looking at a Goddess. His heart was racing as he saw the Princess approach him slowly.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did last night" she said. "You showed a lot of courage, and foolishness, by standing in front of him like that" she added with a smile.

Link smiled too and made a short bow.

"I felt I had the duty to protect you, your highness" he said. "You don't have to thank me."

"You are a strong boy, Link" she said, surprising him by calling him by his name. "You are indeed the one chosen by the Gods."

Link stared at her in surprise as she raised her right hand and he saw the golden triangle glowing in it. He then noticed that his own piece of the triangle had begun to glow as well, but it didn't itch anymore, but felt warm instead.

"You too hold a sacred piece of the Sacred Triangle, the Triforce" she said.

"The Triforce?" asked Link, finally able to speak again.

Zelda told link the following legend:

_Before time began, before spirits and life existed..._

_Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule..._

_Din, the goddess of power..._

_Nayru, the goddess of wisdom..._

_Farore, the goddess of courage..._

_Din... With her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth._

_Nayru... Poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world._

_Farore... With her rich soul, she produced all life forms who would uphold the law._

_The three great goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens._

_And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world._

_Since then the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence._

_And the resting place of the triangles has become the Sacred Realm._

"I read this on a parchment in the library of the Castle, a parchment so old that I couldn't believe it wasn't turned into dust" she said. "It is said that long ago the King of Evil entered the sacred realm and therefore the Triforce split in three parts: one stayed with him, one with the Royal Family and one with the Hero of Time."

"I've heard these same legends many times over" said Link. "So… are they true, then?"

"I never knew the whole legend before" explained Zelda. "I knew about the Triforce and the seal of the Gods, and my family is devoted to the legends of old, but I never thought that I would live to see the day that the Triforce awoke again."

"But why me?" finally managed to ask Link. "Why was I chosen?"

"That I can't answer" said Zelda, "but I had a dream yesterday… I dreamed of you, and I dreamed of the Emissary, and of death and darkness."

Link looked up. The dark cloud kept twirling in the sky on top of the Castle.

"It's almost noon" explained Zelda, reading the expression on Link's face. "Overnight the cloud has covered almost all of Hyrule. At dawn, we received notices from all over the land about strange things happening and dark creatures roaming around the fields."

"What should I do?" asked Link.

"Follow me" she replied and turned around.

Link followed her closely through a door leading to another courtyard, and then another, and another. All along they were silent. A last, they stopped in a garden that seemed to be so old and abandoned that Link thought that nobody had entered it in centuries. Except for vines, there were no plants, only a dry fountain in the middle of it. Link then realized that everything was made of pure silver, but time had overshadowed the beautiful surfaces and vines had started to cover every structure. Link walked closer to the fountain and removed some vines, noting that it was topped with the crest of the Royal Family made out of pure gold.

"What is this place?" asked Link.

"I had a vision about it right before the festival began" replied Zelda. "It once was a beautiful place, built by some King of old to honor the Hero of Time" she said while pointing at a statue on the far end of the shrine: a young man, raising a sword into the skies.

"Is that…?" began Link.

"Yes, he is the Hero of Time, and that is the Sacred Blade, Evil's Bane, the now lost Legendary Master Sword" I woke up last night after I fainted when you fought the Emissary and went to the library. Somehow, I knew where to look and I found the full legend in a stone tablet on a hidden room of the library. There were also the instructions to find this place."

They then heard voices approaching. Zelda turned in surprise and Link recognized the voice of Captain Leonis.

"I think I saw her coming this way" he was saying.

"Quickly! Hide!" whispered Zelda.

Link looked around as he searched for a hiding place. Zelda pointed out a small hole behind the statue and Link entered it with difficulty as Zelda covered it with vines behind him. She turned around just as Captain Leonis came into the courtyard.

"Here you are, Princess" he said. "Your father has been looking for you" Link heard something strangely wicked in the way he spoke.

"Captain you are supposed to be secluded to your quarters" said Zelda.

"Change of plans" he replied, as two guards approached Zelda and grabbed her by each arm. "We have a new King, so you and your father should now behave and stay put in your own rooms."

"Time has come… it is finally the day" said Zelda.

"Stop bantering and move" said Captain Leonis, and they took her away.

Link had been listening all along, he had wanted to do something but he knew that there was no way he could help her in his current situation. He moved to get out and then he saw that another hole led into a source of light. He thought about it for a second and then entered the tunnel into the light.

He practically crawled for about 3 minutes and then he came into a shinning room, made out of polished marble with torches hung from the walls. There was a man standing in the middle of the room. His fine exquisite robes radiating light and had an old face, full of wisdom and life. He had a sad look on his face and his brow was creased in a grim look.

"Come forth… oh, Hero…" he said in a soft and solemn voice.

"Who are you?" asked Link.

"I am one of the sages of old… it's been so long that my name has been long forgotten… I am the Sage of Light, keeper of the spirit of the hero."

"What should I do?" asked Link, for the third time in the past 24 hours.

"Come forth… oh, Hero… thy time has come…" he said.

It all then went dark and Link realized that he had just had another vision. He was standing in the middle of the room, but it was lit only by the glow of his piece of the Triforce. He noticed that there was a sort of altar in the middle of the room, and there was a large chest on top of it emblazoned with the crest of the Royal Family.

He walked towards the chest in the dim light and opened it. Its hinges creaked as he lifted the lid and he looked inside. He couldn't believe what he saw: there was a tunic inside, a green tunic the color of the trees in the middle of planting season, with a matching green hat and a brown leather belt. He removed them from the chest and found a coat of mail made out of steel, a pair of leather gloves and matching leather boots.

Link didn't know why he did it, but he stripped of his clothes and tried on the coat of mail and put on the tunic, gloves, hat and boots. He felt them fit perfectly, like if they had been made precisely for him. He gave a final glimpse at the chest and saw that there was something else, draped on a piece of clothing, at the very bottom of it. He leaned forward and retrieved it, realizing that it was a medium sized shield, crafted from steel and silver, emblazoned with the emblem of the Royal Family with the Triforce made of gold.

There was then a soft light, Link turned around and blinked twice, thinking that it was another vision. He saw a fairy small (about the size of a baby's fist), a soft white light emanating from her, batting her delicate wings and moving towards him.

"I've been waiting for you, Link" said the fairy in a sweet girly voice.

"Who are you?" asked Link.

"My name is Laila, and I have been the guardian of this place since before this age began" she said. "Link, I have been expecting you to come and claim what's yours by right. Now, allow me to aid you in your quest. The Princess and Hyrule are in grave danger."

"I must then get out of here" said Link, going for the hole in the ground.

"Allow me to help you" said Laila, and she fluttered around Link and engulfed him with her light.

When the light dimed, Link saw that they were outside Hyrule Castle. The square where the festival had been held was a mess of people and stands, oblivious to what had been happening inside the Castle. He ran for the stand of Faron Goods, with Laila fluttering behind him, and saw Tara and her father, both grim-faced, packing their remaining merchandize.

When Tara saw Link, she screamed in relief and ran towards him, but stopped cold when she saw his new outfit and the bright fairy fluttering next to him.

"Link… what…?" she began stuttering.

"I'm ok, Tara" said Link, embracing her and kissing her forehead. "There is something I need and something I must do."

He climbed into his cart and retrieved his sword, the one that Mr. Regol had crafted for him, and tied the sheath on his waist. He released Epona from her reins, saddled her and climbed on.

"Link, what are you doing?" asked Tara, seeming to be on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry Tara" said Link with a smile. "Everything will be ok."

He lifted the shield, noticing for the first time how light and strong it felt, tossed it across his back and urged Epona to move forward, while Laila hid inside of Link's hat, towards the gate of the Castle. He couldn't explain how, but he suddenly knew that he had just started the long road that would take him to a dangerous adventure.


	8. INTO THE CASTLE

Zelda was standing next to her window. She could see Hyrule Field, its once beautiful green land now in shade because of the mantle of darkness. She noted that the clouds spiraled on certain places: on top of Hyrule Castle, over Lake Hylia, above the deep of the Forest of Faron, and in the middle of the Barrens.

Captain Leonis had locked her in her room several hours ago and had left without a word. She knew that the guards were being influences somehow by the dark power of the cloud that now covered Hyrule. Through her window, she could see people down the square of Castle Town, many of them arguing with each other and jostling around.

She sat on her bed, feeling helpless. She had no idea if Link had managed to get out of the Castle and she was worried about him. She remembered how she felt when she saw Link in the arena, how her heart had raced and how she couldn't control her breathing. She tried to convince herself that it was because he was meant to save Hyrule, and that it had nothing to do with his good looks and the way he so bravely jumped in front of Garoth to protect her.

Someone unlocked the door and a guard came in with Viacka. He tossed her to the floor and then closed the door again. Zelda rushed towards her and helped her to her feet. She quickly tried to get up and apologized.

"Sorry my lady, I tried to steal the key to get you out, but I got caught" she said sobbing.

"That was a very silly thing to do, you know?" replied Zelda.

"I did see someone, though" she said, "the young boy from the tournament; but he looked different, wearing some green clothes and carrying the Hylian Shield."

Zelda had all her attention set on Viacka now.

"Viacka… tell me everything" asked Zelda.

* * *

><p>Link saw the guards that were blocking the entrance to the Castle. He knew that he wouldn't be able to simply knock and ask to be allowed inside, so he needed to find some other way in.<p>

"Laila" he said.

"Yes, Link?" asked Laila coming out of Link's hat.

"You know if there is any other way I can enter the Castle?"

"It's been a long time ago, but there was once a sewer that went into the tunnels beneath the Castle. The entrance should be hidden somewhere in the cliffs outside of the Northern Gate."

"We must try to get there" said Link, pulling Epona's reins to turn around.

"I'll lead the way" said Laila cheerfully, and she fluttered ahead of Link.

Link, following Laila's lead, urged Epona forward through the gate that led to Western Castle Town. He had noticed already that the four sections of Castle Town were divided by castes: Southern Castle Town was mostly formed by merchants, and it was where the Market was located; Eastern Castle Town was where the most important business were located, such as the Bank of Hylia, the local bar and people of a medium level class lived in the houses in this area; Western Castle Town was where the Royal Guard lived, as well as some other medium class townsfolk that worked in any of the previous areas; as for Northern Castle Town, it was the home of the aristocracy of the town, mostly owners of the bigger business all around Hyrule.

All along the way, people kept looking at Link with mistrust. His strange clothing made him very conspicuous and people kept moving out of his way while muttering and making grim faces. Link really couldn't believe that these were the same people that had cheered his name last night. They reached the gate that led to Northern Castle Town and a guard stood in the way.

"Halt!" he commanded. "You have no business here. It has been requested that anyone stays out of this place, just for security measures."

Link looked over the guard's shoulder and Laila fluttered up to him.

"Let's go Link" she said. "We'll find another way."

He nodded and they turned around. Laila led him to the gate that exited Castle Town and they stepped out into Hyrule Field. He galloped through the bridge into the grass and then Laila led him around the perimeter of Castle Town. Link could see that the sky was entirely covered in the black cloud and that there seemed to be no sunlight.

"We must be careful" said Laila. "Darkness has brought several monsters along: moblins, bokoblins, and bulbins are now roaming all around Hyrule Field causing mayhem and looting."

"I'll be on my guard" said Link.

Suddenly an arrow flew inches away from Link's head and Epona suddenly lifted her ears, shook her mane, neighed and lunged forward in gallop tossing Link into the ground and leaving him behind. He stood up and watched her go away in the distance.

"Link, watch out!" yelled Laila, and he drew out his sword and lifted his shield just as another arrow hit it.

He saw a group of three creatures coming at him from a hill. One of them had his face half covered by a veil and has a bow in hand, loading another arrow, and the other two were holding broad iron swords in their hands.

"Careful Link, the one with the bow and arrow is a bulbin, the others are bokoblins!" explained Laila.

"What use it is to know what they're called?" asked Link while adopting a defensive stance.

The bokoblins attacked him both at the same time. Link stopped one of the swords with his own and the other with his shield. He rolled several times trying to get away from the creatures and another arrow flew past him and stuck itself in the floor where he had been lying. He then had an idea: when one of the bokoblins charged at him, he slammed it with his shield making it fall backwards into the ground. With a swift move, he stabbed it in the chest just as the other bokoblin ran away with his archer friend.

"Nice move, Link" said Laila, fluttering up to him.

"Thanks. Have you seen Epona?" he asked.

"I lost her from sight, but I'm sure we'll find her again."

Link cleaned his sword and sheathed it, and strapped the shield back across his shoulder and on his back. They went on their way again, Link walking as fast as he could, and then they finally reached Northern Gate. He saw that the bridge was raised and that there were guards posted on the watchtowers on both sides.

"The entrance to the sewers is on the cliffs over there" said Laila, pointing in the direction that they had to go.

Link started running that way and (after fighting off a single bokoblin that had been caught while eating a field rat) they got to a steep cliff. Link leaned over and saw that it was a fall of almost 20 meters, and he saw the entrance to the sewer about halfway down.

"Laila, do you expect me to climb down this deathtrap? Is there really no other way in?" asked Link, looking at his fairy partner.

"Would you rather engage in sword fighting against the whole Royal Guard? Be my guest" she said.

Link looked down again and saw some vines that grew down the cliff, passing very close to the sewer entrance. He looked around and found the place where the vines started to grow; he walked up to them and pulled with all his strength just to make sure they would hold. He took a deep breath and then started climbing down the cliff, holding the vines with one hand and the other clinging to the rocks for his life.

Link managed to get to the sewer entrance and climbed in. The tunnel in front of him was dark, so he drew out his sword and held up his shield before entering. He could barely see where he stepped so he walked as slowly and silent as he could. He was sure he could see eyes staring at him every now and then ("those are keeses", explained Laila. "Careful, they bite") and a couple of times he had to get rid of a pair of rats that were trying to steal his rupees from his belt pouch.

He had a rough time adjusting his eyes to the darkness, as the only source of light was the glimmer of Laila's magical body. He had been walking for some time when he saw light ahead, so he walked towards it and heard voices. He crouched behind the corner and listened carefully:

"Lord Garoth has managed to imprison the Princess, she is being kept in her room" said one of them.

"Yes, but what about the boy?" asked another. "We already searched the whole Castle and he is nowhere to be found. He has supposedly been taken to the infirmary after the stunt he performed last night, but he wasn't found there."

"He will be found, eventually" said the first man. "Meanwhile, we should keep close watch over this entrance. He may try to escape through the dungeons and then take the sewers out of the Castle."

"They're soldiers of the Royal Guard" said Laila in a feint whisper. "Darkness has entered their hearts and they are now subject to Garoth's will."

"There should be some way to get past them" said Link peeking around the corner.

He saw the two guards sitting at a table, drinks in front of them. The room was lit by a single torch that hung from the wall opposite to the tunnel. There was an iron door behind the guards and they seemed to be playing some sort of cards game. He looked down and saw a few pebbles on the floor, so he picked up one of them and tossed it away into the tunnel.

"What was that?" said one of the guards, hearing the echo of the stone.

"Maybe some creature lurking in the sewers, go check" said the other.

Link heard the chair being pulled back and the steps of the guard coming his way. He sidestepped a few feet. The guard turned around the corner, spear and shield in hand. When he saw Link it was too late: he got the full impact of Link's shield into the head and he fell unconscious.

"Aro?" asked the other guard. Link heard him pull back his chair and walk towards him. "What the…?" he said and raised his sword lunging at Link, who parried the attack and countered with a swift kick. The guard fell backwards and Link hit him in the head with his shield, leaving him unconscious along with his partner.

"We should go before they wake up" said Laila.

"Wait, let me tie them first, else they will wake up and raise the alarm" replied Link.

Laila fluttered by the door, peeking through the bars on the small window on it, while Link grabbed a few ropes, tied and muzzled the two guards, dragging them into a sort of cupboard and laid them inside. He then saw a key on a ring, hanging on a hook inside the cupboard, so he grabbed it and closed the door.

"I think we will need this" said Link, holding out the key. He inserted it into the keyhole of the iron door and unlocked it; he pulled it open and saw a circular staircase. "Shall we?" asked Link while readying his shield and sword, and he began climbing the steps.


	9. HYRULE CASTLE

The spiral stairway was illuminated by torches along the way. The flame on each of them cast shadows all along, making Link nervous as every shadow seemed to him to be an enemy lurking in the dark. Laila was no help at all, as she thought it was the best moment to hide again in Link's hat. After several minutes, he arrived at the top of the stairs and found a wooden door with no lock. He pressed his ear against the door but couldn't hear anything on the other side, so he pushed it slightly open and peeked into the corridor.

"There's nobody around" he said, and pushed the door fully open.

"Link, you should try to find a map of the castle before you venture any further" said Laila, coming out of his hat. "You can get lost and caught if you wander around without knowing where you're going."

"You're right" agreed Link.

He walked through the corridor as slowly as he could, checking the signs on each door looking for a place where he could find something useful. Finally, he saw a sign that read 'Archives' and he pushed the old door open.

It was a large circular room full of bookshelves and tables covered in layers of dust. He took one of the torches that hung in the corridor outside and used it to ignite some of the ones inside the room. Walking around, he found several books with scripts and lots of useless information. He tried opening several chests but most of them were full of torn pieces of parchment and old books.

"What's this?" he asked, after opening a small chest and pulling out a small leather bag full of black pellets. The bag had a strange emblem on it, like an eye with three spikes on top.

"It's the old emblem of the Shiekah" explained Laila. "If I'm not mistaken, you will find flash pellets inside. The Shiekah used them to stun, blind or disorient enemies."

"These may be handy" said Link, storing the bag in his waist pouch.

"Link, over here!" exclaimed Laila, fluttering to a desk nearby.

Link walked towards her and saw an old map lying on top of the desk. He raised it and removed the dust cover, realizing it was a detailed map of the Castle.

"Excellent, now y can move on to find the Princess" he said.

They exited the room and Link closed the door as silently as possible.

"Hey!" yelled a voice, "Stay where you are!"

Link turned around and saw a guard running at him. He unsheathed his sword and lifted his shield just in time to block the strike from the guard's steel.

"Link, you mustn't hurt him! Remember that he is under Garoth's control!" yelled Laila.

Link parried another strike and side-jumped to avoid the guard's sword thrust. With one swift move, he grabbed the guard's sword-wielding arm and applied force into it, forcing him to release his weapon. The guard stumbled into the floor and Link pointed at him with his sword.

"Where can I find the Princess" asked Link in a demanding way.

"I don't know" said the guard.

"You're lying" said Link, and the guard spat at his feet. "Ok, let's have it your way".

After knocking the guard unconscious and locking him in a small room, Link kept going through another set of stairs.

"According to the map" he said, "these stairs will take us to a large corridor. We should follow the corridor and go through a ladder into the eastern wing of the Castle."

When Link reached the top of the stairs and opened the door, he had to jump back as an arrow flew next to his head and stuck itself into the door.

"What the hell!?" he yelled, and he grabbed his shield and sword as another arrow hit the door.

"Bulbin archer ahead!" yelled Laila.

"Like I hadn't realized already from the smell" said Link, and he lifted the shield deflecting another projectile.

The creature drew out a dagger from its waist and charged at him, but he managed to parry the attack and stab it, spilling blood all over the floor.

"Why was there a bulbin inside the castle?" asked Laila.

"I'm quite sure they are friends with Garoth" guessed Link.

"Stay on guard, Link. Bulbins may not be the only surprise in store" said the fairy, and she hid again in his hat.

Link cleaned his sword with a piece of cloth from the bulbin's cape and examined the bow, which had fallen under the creature's body.

"Damn it… it's broken. It might have been helpful."

He continued his way through the corridor and found a wooden ladder that led up through a trapdoor. He climbed and raised the trapdoor a bit, just enough to peek at the room above: besides from a few empty benches, the room seemed to be mostly empty. Apparently, the room above was some sort of gallery, as it was decorated with many paintings.

He approached the only door in the room and opened it, accessing a curve corridor. He kept walking, feeling uneasy about the emptiness of the corridors. It seemed to be like every inhabitant of Hyrule Castle had either disappeared or was being controlled by Garoth. He heard then some voices ahead and quickly hid behind a statue, leaning forward just enough to get a glimpse of what was going on.

"Trying to play hero, eh, young lady?" said the voice of a guard. He was dragging a young girl by the arm, dressed as a maid of the Castle. Another guard was leading the way with a set of keys in his hand; it was Captain Leonis.

"Let me go! Let me go!" yelled the maid.

"If you are so eager to see your mistress then we should probably lock you in with her" said Captain Leonis.

Link raised his sword and shield ready to rescue the girl, and in that moment she made eye contact with him and her face went blank. Something in her expression told him that he should probably better hide again, so he returned behind the statue and waited until they had gone into another corridor.

"Laila, I need your help" said Link. "Can you follow them and see where they go? Then come back and help me mark the way on the map."

"Sure, ask the poor little fairy to do the exploring. Al right, I'll go" she replied in frustration and fluttered away after the guards.

Link leaned against the wall and heard a sudden click, as he felt that the floor beneath him opened and he fell into the dark pit below.

* * *

><p>Laila saw Captain Leonis and the other guard tossing the maid into a room. She was sure she had caught a glimpse of Princess Zelda walking towards the girl before the door was closed. "There you are, Princess" she thought, and flew back to where she had left Link waiting for her. She was surprised, not to mention annoyed, when she found out that Link was nowhere to be seen.<p>

"Where can he be now?" asked Laila, angrily. She then decided that maybe something had happened to him and went out in his search.

* * *

><p>Link got up in pain. He looked up and saw that the trapdoor had already closed again. His head hurt where he had hit it when he fell and he was having problems trying to get his eyes accustomed to the darkness. He had to blink several times before he was able to see further than the tip of his nose. The room where he was seemed like an underground cave with a spring of water in the middle of it and a stone plate in front of the water. Closer inspection revealed that the plate had the Emblem of the Royal Family of Hyrule carved on it with thin golden lines.<p>

Before he knew what he was doing, he removed his gauntlet and the triangle in his hand began to glow. He shone the light into the plate and the emblem began to shine. Link suddenly began to feel relaxed, like if some soothing wind blew around the cavern. He could have sworn that a soft melody was filling the space around him and that a voice called him from the depths of the spring, which had begun to sparkle.

"_You carry a heavy burden, oh, Hero of Time_" said the voice.

Link saw in surprise how light beams erupted from the water like a halo of glorious light, and a beautiful young woman, with long, green hair, wearing no clothing save for a small cloth tied around her waist as a skirt and her breasts barely covered by the lengths of her hair, slowly emerged from the water as if floating. Link had never seen such beauty before, and he was beginning to think he was hallucinating when he saw the wings unfold behind the woman's back.

"Greetings, Hero. I've been expecting you. I'm the Queen of all Fairies" she said in a majestic, yet soft and soothing voice. "It has been so many ages since your ancestor came to me and I aided him in his quest to save Hyrule. I have long since slept, but now I have felt the Darkness covering the world once more."

"I need to find the Princess" said Link, finally able to speak.

"Yes, you do, but you won't be able to do so in your current state. Even if you managed to get the Princess, you will never be able to get out of the Castle without facing the Emissary, and you can't defeat him… yet."

"What should I do, then?" asked Link again.

"The Emissary has sent his demons into the temples of Hyrule, but only three of them are of most importance: The Forest Temple, in the Faron Forest; The Water Sanctuary, in Lake Hylia; and The Fortress of Doom, in the middle of The Barrens. Once you destroy the evil that lurks on each of them, you will finally be able to return here. But beware, Hero, as you must not let the evil on the temples consume you."

"I won't… I promise I'll return."

"I will send you back into the Castle, but first, take this with you" said the Queen of all Fairies, and she closed her eyes and raised her arms to Link.

He felt how light engulfed him and, suddenly, a small jewel appeared floating in front of him. It seemed to be a simple transparent diamond. He reached out a hand and held it, getting the feeling of holding a soft warm stone.

"This is the Heart of Light" explained the Fairy. "It will recover its glow once you have defeated the demons on each temple. Farewell, Link. The hope of all Hyrule rests on you."

Before Link could say anything else, light engulfed him again and he felt his feet leaving the floor. He then appeared in the middle of the atrium of the Castle. Laila was fluttering out of a corridor and, despite the fact that he couldn't see her face he could sense she was angry.

"Where the hell were you?" she asked in annoyance.

"I'll explain on the way. We must get out of the Castle" he said.

"Excellent! I'll lead you to… wait, what?" she asked perplexed. "We go through a lot to get in, yu send me on a dangerous mission to find the Princess, then you disappear without a word and now you say we must leave?"

"I told you, I'll explain on the way" repeated Link. "I found the Queen of all Fairies."

"I don't care if…! WHAT!? Let's go! Tell me everything!" she said.

They returned as fast as they could into the dungeons and exited the Castle the way they had entered. Along the way Link explained the mission that the Queen of all Fairies had given him.

"I think I know where to start: we should first visit Forest Temple, in Faron Forest" he pointed in the direction of the woods and then sprinted on his way.

* * *

><p><strong><em>This is the first part. I need to know what you think about the story so far. I'm trying to write it as game-like as possible. Also let me know what you think about the characters and maybe ideas for the bosses. R&amp;R!<em>**


	10. THE FOREST PATH

**A/N: Well, here it is! The second part of the story: FARON AND LANAYRU'S DELIVERANCE. Thank you for reading! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Sun was setting down in the horizon. Tara and her father were driving back to Faron Woods, deeply worried about Link. The last time they had seen him, he was clad in a strange outfit and had an air of determination reflected on his face. She leaned towards her father and held his arm while leaning her head on his shoulder. They arrived into a small camp on the way, formed by other merchants who had left the Castle before them, and stopped their cart.<p>

"We should rest here for the night," said Mr. Durian. "It's getting late and it is dangerous to be wandering at night, especially now that there seems to be a dark shadow covering the lands."

"Ok, dad…" said Tara, emotionless.

"My darling, he will be fine," said Mr. Durian. "He is a strong young man, and it seems to be he is also a fierce warrior. Anyone who tries to hurt him, he will be able to defeat him."

"How can you be sure!?" yelled Tara, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He has never been out of the forest before! He kept burning his hands with the furnace, for the Gods' sake!" she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She was sobbing hard, afraid for his best friend's fate.

"Easy now, my girl," said Mr. Durian, patting her back as he held her. "Let's unload the tent and camp for the night."

They joined the rest of the campers by the fire after putting up the tent and feeding their horse, and one of the men handed Mr. Durian a mug of ale and a plate of roast beef. One of the daughters of another merchant came to Tara and handed her a glass of milk and a goat cheese sandwich. She took them and chewed some of it absentmindedly.

All around her, people were chanting and laughing. A group of children were playing in a pond nearby, trying to catch some small greengills with their bare hands, and men were speaking in loud voices, affected by the beers and whiskeys. She didn't notice the change in the noises until one of the children, a roughly 5 year old girl, ran past her screaming for her mother. She lifted her face and saw people were running all around the camp: women cried for their children, children screamed in fear, and men were gathering their families around and loading them to the carts. She felt a hand grab her wrist and she shrieked in panic.

"Tara, it's me!" said Mr. Durian, pulling her to her feet. "We must go!"

She saw a pair of moblins riding giant boars heading their way, and about 10 bulbins slashing with their swords, destroying the tents and looting the stacks of food and crates of goods that hadn't been sold at the Castle. She jumped to her feet and followed her father onto the cart. Mr. Durian pulled the reins and the horse started galloping into the woods, following the rest of the caravan. Tara turned around and saw the moblins galloping their way on their boars.

"Dad, they're gaining on us!" she yelled.

"Tara, jump to the horse," commanded Mr. Durian.

She obeyed and then looked at her father; just in time to see him cutting the ropes lose from the cart and allowing the horse to dash forward.

"You must warn the village!" he yelled, before being out of reach.

"Dad!" yelled Tara. She cried when she saw the moblins catching on to the cart, and then she was too far into the woods to see anything more.

The horse kept galloping at high speed for a few minutes, until he seemed to realize that the danger was over and then started to slow down.

"Dad…" murmured Tara, and she started crying full of fear and sorrow.

* * *

><p>Sun had just set down in the horizon. Link was walking at a steady pace towards the forest. He was still far away but he could see the edge in the distance. Very close to the entrance of the path that led into the woods, there was a feint blaze, maybe a campfire. Laila came out of his hat and hovered for a while in front of him.<p>

"I think we should stop here for the night," she said.

"We should keep going for at least a couple more hours" replied Link.

"Link, it is dangerous to be out at night."

"I can't waste any time," said Link. "Listen, if you want to sleep, go ahead, but I will keep going as far as my strength can take me." He then thought for a moment. "Let's try to get to that camp over there."

"How do you know they're not enemies?" asked Laila.

"I don't."

Laila rolled her eyes and hid again in Link's hat. He kept going for some time until the blaze by the forest began to grow. He listened carefully and realized that they were screams. He unsheathed his sword and held his shield, while he dashed forward downhill towards the camp.

When he arrived, he realized that it was already over. He walked around looking at the dead corpses, both men and bulbins, which were scattered all around the wrecked campsite. He kicked a burning crate, producing some sparks, and realized it had the emblem of Faron Goods stamped on it. Dread crept over him, and he ran back and forth examining the bodies and wrecked carts. He breathed in relief when he realized that none of them was of Mr. Durian or Tara.

"Link?" asked Laila carefully, fluttering out of his hat. "I think we should keep going."

"Yes… if we stop now we may not be able to help any survivors. This didn't happen too long ago."

He sheathed his sword and gave a few steps forward, when he felt a gust of cold wind swirling around him. He turned around and saw a dark fog coming from the sky and stretching across the camp. It then began to cover the dead bodies all around Link and then receded.

"What was…?" began Link, when he saw one of the bodies twitch.

"L…Link?" asked Laila with fear.

The corpse's skin then turned a dark shade and it opened his eyes, which now had a red glow, as burning charcoals. Link unsheathed his sword again, as the rest of the corpses began to rise and looked at him. Laila shrieked and hid in Link's hat, while he lunged forward and stabbed one of the corpses, a bulbin's.

"There's too many. I won't be able to endure much longer," he said.

"Look out!" yelled a voice.

Link ducked as an arrow flew past him and stuck itself to the head of another corpse. Link turned around and saw a cloaked figure swing a sword and behead another undead.

"Come on!" he yelled, motioning Link to follow him, while he grabbed a burning plank and held it up as a torch.

Link didn't think twice about it and followed the cloaked man into the woods. They ran for a few minutes until they reached a small clearing. Link leaned against the trunk of an old tree while the mysterious person walked around the clearing, seeing if they had been followed. Then, he turned to Link.

"You think you're so cool, with your ragged clothes and your shiny sword and shield, eh?" he said in a bossy way. "Did you think you could take on an army of re-dead on your own?"

"An army of what?" said Link, stupefied.

"I thought better of you, for the way you battled yesterday" said the cloaked man, and he removed his hood to reveal his identity: it was Taglo, his first rival at the tournament. "Listen, kid, you better show more respect to the creatures of the darkness."

"I… hey! Did you just 'kid' me?" asked Link raising an eybrow. "Who are you anyways?"

"Don't you recognize me?" replied Taglo. "I'm Taglo, from Kakariko Village. We fought yesterday. I'm a descendant of the Shiekah, protectors of the Royal Family. I was sent to Hyrule Castle to warn the King about… hey! I shouldn't be talking to you about these things!"

Link was perplexed. Laila finally came out of Link's hat and Taglo gave one step back, looking at the fairy. Then, he looked at Link, surprise in his eyes, full of realization.

"No way…" he said. "No way… it's you?"

"It's me, who?" asked Link.

"You don't know the legend, do you? The legend of the fairy boy of the forest? The Hero of Time?" he pressed. "Your clothing… that explains it all." He looked at Link and then his eyes opened wide. "I need you to prove something. Do you have… it? The mark? The crest of the Goddesses?"

Laila turned at Link and he felt his hand prickle. Instinctively, he raised his hand and Taglo saw the bright golden triangle shining on it.

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo were walking further into the woods. Link was following him closely, while Laila lead the way illuminating the path with her soft glow. Taglo had been explaining things to Link all along.<p>

"The thing is," he said, "since darkness began spreading across Hyrule things have been going south. There are riots all over the place, Kakariko Graveyard is now closed because of the dead rising in the middle of the night, hordes of bulbins and bokoblins have been looting around and setting camps across Hyrule Field. Even now, Hyrule Castle seems to be under the influence of Garoth, the Emissary of Darkness."

"And you came to the Castle to enter the tournament so you could approach the King and tell him," said Link. "Sorry I meddled."

"No Link, you didn't meddle," said Taglo, dismissing his apology. "It was destiny that made you enter the tournament. It is you who is meant to save Hyrule."

"People keep saying that, but I have no damn idea of what to do."

"The Gods will show you the way," said Taglo. They came to a halt and Laila illuminated a high iron gate, covered in vines and full of rust.

"Where are we?" asked Link. "I've never seen this place."

"These are the ruins of an old town of farmers, ancestors to your people. This was once the old Ordon Village."

Link saw that small houses, now crumbling into rubble, were settled along the river that flowed across the valley. Link thought that the village must have been once beautiful, but now it was immersed in darkness, as the dark shadow over the forest blocked moon and starlight.

"Come on," urged him Taglo, "this way."

Link followed Taglo, as they ventured further into the darkness of the forest.

* * *

><p>Zelda paced around her room. <em>"He was here," <em>she thought. _"He came looking for me. But where is he?"_ Her mind was a chaos of thoughts and fears. Had he been caught? Killed? No! She couldn't bear to think about that. She was sure that Link was still alive and searching for her. She then heard someone calling her name, and she looked at Viacka, who was asleep in a matt on the floor (she had refused to take Zelda's bed). Someone called her again, and this time she knew it wasn't Viacka.

Zelda heard her name once more, right behind her, so she turned around just in time to see a small orb of light shining by the window. She walked up to it and reached out a hand to touch it. The orb began glowing with intense light and Zelda closed her eyes felt as if she was being transported.

When she opened her eyes, she saw herself in the middle of the throne room of the Castle. She realized that she was in a sort of daydream, as everything was foggy and shiny. She saw a young woman, about her age, coming up to her from the throne.

"Who are you?" asked Zelda.

"Don't worry, Zelda," she replied, "for I know the sorrows that weight on your heart."

Zelda was trying hard to look at the woman's face, but the fog made it almost impossible. She realized that no matter how much she walked it seemed like she didn't move from the same spot, so she soon stopped trying.

"Your destiny has been laid out in front of you, Princess," said the young woman, "and so has been Link's. Fear not for him, as he is the Hero that Hyrule has been waiting for, and he also carries the mark of the Goddesses. They are protecting him and he will soon come back for you. Don't lose faith, as there will come a time when you will have to aid the Hero in order to save Hyrule."

"Where is he now?" asked Zelda, feeling somehow relieved.

"He is on his way to the Faron Forest Temple. He is going to break the curse that has once more fallen on it and bring light back into the forest."

Zelda smiled with renewed hope. She felt more at ease now that she heard that the hero had awoken in Link and he was going to save Hyrule.

"Thank you… but… who are you?" she asked one more time.

"I am you," said the young woman, and Zelda was finally able to see her own face, her own eyes staring back at her. "I am Hylia, the Goddess of Time."

Zelda woke up startled. Had it really been just a dream? She was lying on her bed; skies outside her window were still covered in a mantle of darkness, so she was unable to know if it was night or day. She sat up and felt a warm peace inside of her. She wasn't sure if she had only dreamt or if it had actually happened, but she was sure of one thing: the Gods had sent her answers to her questions.

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo got to the end of the path through the woods and found a clearing surrounded by grim-looking trees. On the farthest side, there was a church-like building made of stone and wood, with a wooden staircase leading to the entrance. Link recognized it right away.<p>

"Well, this is it," said Taglo.

"We're finally here… the Forest Temple of the Spirit Faron."


	11. FOREST TEMPLE - PART I

**A/N: Thinking of my ever-faithful readers, _Frozen789_ and_ Joystick Gamer_, I pushed my brain to the limit to provide with an action-packed chapter. I hope you like it, as I dedicate it to you both! May the Goddess of Time bless you all! R&R**

* * *

><p>Link headed towards the staircase that led into the temple entrance when Taglo grabbed his wrist.<p>

"Wait! Do you plan to go in just like that?" he asked.

"Why not?" asked Link, raising an eyebrow.

"Here, take this," he said, and tossed Link his own bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Hey, this is yours!" said Link. "You're going to need it."

"You will too, and it's better if you have it," said Taglo while raising his hood again. "I should go back to Kakariko Village and inform the head of the Shiekah about what's going on. See you 'round, Link," he said, as he drew a flash pellet out of his pouch and tossed it in front of him, vanishing from sight.

"Nice trick," murmured Link. "I've got to learn how to do that."

"Link, wait!" said Laila, coming out of his hat. "You've got to get some rest. If you don't you won't be able to go through the temple. I KNOW you're tired."

Link didn't want to admit it, but she was right. He could feel his limbs sore and tiredness overcoming him. He walked around the clearing and found a tree that he was able to climb. When he reached the top, he managed to fit in a hollow space between the branches and lay down. He fell asleep in no time.

* * *

><p>"He's nowhere to be found, my Lord," said Captain Leoni.<p>

"That's not the point," said Garoth in a menacing tone, while sitting up from the throne. "I want to know HOW the HELL did HE get inside the castle!?"

The two guards that were there with Captain Leoni recoiled in fear; Captain Leoni simply fell to his knees in submission.

"I'm sorry my Lord, but it seems to be that he came in through the sewers and managed to defeat our guards there."

"I want you to send more guards! Double… no, triple security! Every corridor in the Castle must be covered!"

"Yes, yes my Lord!" said Captain Leoni, standing up again.

"What are you waiting for? GO!" yelled Garoth, and the three men ran out of the throne room.

Garoth sat back on the throne and looked above him with a grim smile. The King was floating several feet above the throne, deeply immersed in a continuous dream; his head bobbed forward as he hovered in the middle of a purple cloud of dark energy.

"I'm so sorry, you Highness" he said with a mocking reverence. "But your reign is nearing an end. Soon, when my master comes, Hyrule will become a world of Darkness, and your bloodline will be cast into shadows, where it will be forever lost."

* * *

><p>Tara woke up early in the morning. Her head was aching and she was feeling numb. She realized, by the softness of the surface where she was lying, that she was in a mattress made out of wool and linen. She sat up and looked around her, unable to recognize where she was.<p>

"Oh… you're awake!" said a squeaky voice from the door of the room. Tara saw an old woman, too old for her own health, coming in with a wooden tray in her hands. She had deep eyes and a long curved nose, and her silvery hair was tied up in a tight bun above her head. She was wearing a blue gown and a white apron with a couple of colored patches.

"Who… who are you?" asked Tara, a bit frightened.

"Don't worry, my dear" said the old woman, setting the tray on the stool by Tara's bed. "I found you unconscious in the middle of the forest. I brought you here to heal you until you recover. Your horse is fine too. I just gave him some oat and hay for breakfast. Oh! I'm sorry; I'm Madame Salema, the potion maker."

Tara looked at the tray and saw a bowl of oatmeal, a glass of warm milk and a small vial of a red substance.

"What's that?" she asked, while pointing at the small vial.

"That, my dear, is my finest red potion," said Madame Salema with a hint of pride. "It will help you recover your energy in no time." She handed Tara the potion and she drank it in one sip. It had a strange sweet flavor, like… like… like what? She couldn't even place it!

"Thank you," murmured Tara with a faint smile. She then began eating her oatmeal in silence.

"Why so shy my dear?" asked Madame Salema. "Is everything all right?"

Tara thought back: the dark clouds, Link hurt, Link galloping away with Epona, the camp, the attack, moblins, children crying, her dad cutting the horse lose so she could flee, her dad raided by the moblins, the darkness… she couldn't hold it back anymore and she began crying hard. Madame Salema held her close.

"Now, now, don't cry my child. Such a pretty girl with a sad face? Tell me, what happened?"

Tara began recounting the events of the last couple days.

* * *

><p>Link woke up startled. He heard some voices below and leaned over just in time to see to bokoblins walking through the clearing.<p>

"Bokoblins," said Laila, also waking up and coming out of Link's hat.

"Shh, don't speak," whispered Link.

They were chatting in their own language and pushing each other while they laughed. Link drew out the bow that Taglo had given him and stringed an arrow. He had never used a bow before, but he guessed it wouldn't be much different from a slingshot. He was wrong.

"Damn it!" The arrow flew about 4 feet away from the two creatures and stuck itself on the ground, making then jump and turn around. Link jumped from the tree and unsheathed his sword. He raised his shield just in time to block an arrow from one of the bokoblins and sprinted towards the two creatures.

The bokoblin that wasn't playing archer held up a broad sword and slashed at Link, who parried it with his own and slashed, but he missed his target. The bokoblin took the chance and swiped his sword, nearly missing Link's chest. Another blow scratched Link's leg and another arrow flew past him. He rolled forward on the floor, lunged his sword forward and stabbed the foul creature on the chest.

"Link! Look out!" yelled Laila.

As the dead bokoblin fell, he raised his shield in time to block another projectile, tossed his sword and shield on the floor, and he drew out his own bow while stringing another arrow. This time, he hit his mark: right between the bokoblin's eyes.

"Nice way to wake up, eh?" he murmured to himself.

"You've said it. Link, you're bleeding!" said Laila in surprise.

Link saw a small cut in his leg. A crimson thread was trailing down from it, staining his gray leggings.

"It's ok, just scratched me."

Link saw a shallow pond next to the entrance of the temple and walked up to it, rinsed the wound clean and headed towards the staircase.

"Well, let's get this over with," he said. They both entered the temple and Link closed the door behind him.

Link was shocked from the moment they stepped inside. He had just been to the temple a few weeks ago for the harvest season ceremonial rite, but now it seemed like nobody had stepped inside for years. Cobwebs were hanging from all around the ceiling; the chandelier in the middle of the room was rusted, as if it hadn't been lit in a long time; dry leaves were scattered all around the room and Link was sure he could feel a damp atmosphere around him.

"What's that rotten smell?" asked Laila with a squeaky voice making Link think she was pinching her nose.

"I don't know… it's never been like this."

Link climbed down a staircase into the atrium. There were four doors, counting the main entrance, exiting the room which was perfectly square. The door in front of him was locked with a silver padlock, so he wouldn't be able to go through it. Both side doors were unlocked.

"Well, where to?" asked Laila.

"Left," said Link, and they headed towards the left door.

They went through it into a garden. Link remembered having played with Tara in that garden, chasing birds and squirrels and picking up flowers to take to their mothers; however, now it seemed to have lost all life, as grass had dried up, flowers had withered and the formerly crystalline pond in the middle had now dried up. There was a dark fog all around the garden, and Link could barely see through it.

"Link, let's turn around. There must be another way," said Laila.

"Maybe we can go through this fog," said Link, and he gave a step forward.

"Wait, Link! No!" yelled Laila.

As soon as the fog entered in contact with Link's skin, he saw how his skin began darkening. He jumped back to the door and his skin returned to normal in a couple seconds.

"What in the name of the Gods happened?" asked Link.

"I don't know, but I don't like it either," replied Laila. "Let's go back, Link."

They returned to the entrance and Link walked up to the opposite door. There was a loud rustling sound and Link turned around.

"Did you hear that?" he asked Laila.

"Yes. It came from ab… LINK, WATCH OUT!" she yelled as she shot upwards and illuminated the ceiling.

Link jumped backwards and drew out his sword and shield as a large spider came down from the ceiling, a thick sticky thread of web erupting from her behind. The spider was about four meters wide and had a skull-like design across the top of her abdomen.

"Link, it's a big skulltula!" explained Laila.

"I don't care what's its name!" yelled Link. "How do I kill it?"

Link slashed the air with his sword as the skulltula hissed and showed her fanged chelicerae, dripping with venom. She tried to grab Link with her forelegs but he sliced one of them with the sword. It recoiled hissing in pain.

"Try going for her lower abdomen," explained Laila. "It's supposed to be softer underneath."

Link swiped his sword, slicing another leg. The skulltula lifted her head screeching in pain and Link took the chance. He dashed forward, slid under the spider, and with one swift move he sliced it open while he kept sliding. He came out from behind it and saw how the spider crumbled lifeless into the floor.

Link stood up and Laila fluttered back to him.

"That was a close one," she said.

"Yeah, thanks for the warning," said Link with a smile.

"No problem, Link," said Laila, smiling back.

They headed again towards the door and Link pulled it open. They came into a large shrine; about twenty meters wide and ten meters deep; a spiral stairway went all the way down to the murky water below and the darkened sky could be seen above them. A spear flew inches by his head and stuck itself to the wooden wall.

"Woah!" yelled Link as he pulled his bow and stringed an arrow. He saw the bulbin running towards him and released the arrow. He missed by about two inches.

The creature lunged at Link while he readied another arrow and the momentum of the impact sent them both over the edge and they fell, punching at each other, into the murky water below. Link quickly surfaced again and started swimming towards the edge of the pond, while the bulbin tried to grab his ankle. When he reached the shore, he readied his sword again and, when the bulbin reached him, Link swiped the sword beheading the vile beast.

"Link, Link! Are you ok?" asked Laila, fluttering towards him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He looked at the lifeless creature and then at the water. "This is not right. This is the shrine were we used to pray to the great spirit of the forest, Faron."

They heard some more squeaks and screams, and Link saw about three more bulbins heading down the stairway. He reached for his bow but he realized he had dropped it when he fell with the bulbin. He grabbed his sword and ran towards the creatures that were heading his way and began slicing the air. Soon, the only remaining bulbin was running for his life, trying to get as far away from Link as he could. Link then grabbed a spear that one of the dead bulbins had dropped and tossed it with all his strength, impaling the runaway to the wall, where he hung dead.

"Nice throw!" cheered Laila. "Where did you learn how to throw a spear like that?"

"I… I really don't know…" he muttered.

"You know what?" asked Laila, "I think you really are the descendant of the Hero."

"I wish people stopped calling me that," said Link, while he cleaned his sword. "Hey, what's this?" he saw something shiny under one of the dead bulbins, so he tipped him over and picked up a small silver key.

"Do you think it will work on the padlock on the other door?" asked Laila examining it closer.

"Maybe," replied Link, and he pocketed the key. "Come on, let's try it."

They climbed up the stairs again and Link found his bow and quiver lying on the floor. He picked it up and hung them on his shoulder again and exited the shrine.

After disposing another bulbin, Link walked towards the locked door and inserted the key into the padlock. It opened smoothly and fell on the floor.

"Well," began Link, looking at his partner fairy. "Ladies first?" he said with a smile.

"Don't count on it," she replied playfully, and Link opened the door to the next room.


	12. FOREST TEMPLE - PART II

**A/N: This is what happens when you have readers that you like so much you know you can't leave them hanging like that. Part II of the Forest Temple!**

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><p>Link opened his eyes wide when he saw what lay in front of him. It was a second garden, wider than the first one they had entered, full of grim-looking trees. It seemed to him that they actually moved as if trying to grab him with their twisted branches. Laila fluttered behind him and whispered in his ear.<p>

"Link… what is this place?" she asked.

"This was the main courtyard of the temple," explained Link. "On the other side of this forest, which I remember full of life and blossoms, there is a wide gap that only the one with the sacred thread of Faron's hair can cross." He took a deep breath and continued his explanation. "It is said that, across the gap, there is a door that leads to the room where the priestess of the temple dwells."

"Has anybody ever seen her?" asked Laila.

"They say that only the elder of the village can talk to her. They say that she is a descendant of one of the Old Sages, from ancient times when Hyrule wasn't such a big country."

"Maybe she can help us, but… how do we get there?" asked Laila.

Link looked at the grim trees and gave one step forward. Nothing happened. Sighing in relief, he ventured a few steps further into the garden and, suddenly, the trees began attacking him. Dark shadows flew all around him as he slashed with his sword in every direction with no result. One of the trees wrapped a branch around his waist, lifted him into the air, and tossed him back at the door.

"Link!" yelled Laila, as she flew back at him.

Link slowly got up, pain raging across his body. His skin felt as if it was on fire and he recoiled as he saw a dark shape forming in front of him. Link stared at it and saw that it was a little girl, or at least she seemed to be. She had short straight hair and was dressed in a dark tunic. Link realized that she seemed to be more a specter than a person, as her skin was dark as coal and her eyes bright red like if they were on fire. She was surrounded by a dark cloud that seemed to emanate from her own body.

"Who dares to enter my lair?" she asked in a strange voice, like a child speaking from another dimension.

"My name is Link!" he replied.

"Only shadows can cross the Forest of Darkness" she replied in a commanding voice. "Get back to where you came from!" She stared at Link for a few seconds and then turned away, walking back into the darkness.

"Link, let's go" said Laila.

"No! I must find a way to cross!" replied Link.

"I… I think I know how…" replied the fairy, and she explained her plan.

* * *

><p>Tara was feeling much better, thanks to the effects of the red potion. She was already on her feet again and was brushing her horse's mane before readying to return to her village. Madame Salema had packed up a basket with apples and another vial of red potion for her, and it was already tied up to the saddle.<p>

"Are you sure you must go, my child?" she asked in a sweet way.

"Yes. I have to go back to my village and warn them about the danger that has come into the forest."

"Then, be swift darling. The sky is still dark, so the danger hasn't passed."

Tara climbed up onto the horse and looked down at Madame Salema with a smile.

"Thanks for taking care of me" she said.

"Just go, my child! Come back whenever you want" replied Madame Salema, still smiling.

Tara urged the horse and galloped away, back into the forest.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this?" asked Link.<p>

"No, but we have to try," replied Laila.

"We?" asked Link.

She had brought her back into the small garden with the black fog. She had explained to him that, when it first came in contact with him, he began turning as black as the little girl had been, as well as the dead bodies that they had encountered on the previous night. She had sensed a dark aura looming over Link just when he pulled away back to the doorstep.

"What if I stay like that?" asked Link.

"The effects don't seem to be permanent," replied Laila.

"It's a big risk."

"Worth it…"

"Easy to say."

"Just do it, Link! Trust me!"

Link took a deep breath and stepped into the fog. His skin started to feel like if he was on fire again. He fell to his knees as he held his head with his hands screaming in pain. He could feel the transformation occurring: his skin turned black as coal, he began to radiate a dark smoke and his eyes felt as if they were about to burst. He screamed in pain and then… it was over.

Link stood up and looked at himself. His clothing was now of a dark shade of gray, and his skin was entirely black as coal. He realized that now he was able to see perfectly through the fog, so he walked forward and approached the door on the farthest side. It was made out of silver and gold, with traces of emerald, ruby and sapphire. Just as Link remembered, it had a heart-shaped whole in the middle of it. He had always been intrigued about that hollow space, and had wondered what it was for. Now, he was asking himself if the Heart of Light that he had received from the Queen of all Fairies was the key to that door.

He took it out and held it in his hand; then, he inserted it into the door and… nothing happened. He took it back, a little disappointed, and he turned to walk back towards the door and something caught his attention: a mirror was now stuck to the door. He walked up towards it and looked at himself. He backed away in shock, as he saw his reflection: an evil looking man was staring back at him, with bright shiny red eyes that seemed to be on fire, coal-black skin and dark clothing.

He looked around, but he couldn't see Laila. _"Where has she gone?"_ he asked himself, and decided to open the door. When he returned to the atrium, he was shocked to see dark figures walking around, moaning and whispering. They seemed to be the same type of shadow creatures that he had seen in the forest behind the other door. He walked by them and some of them looked at him, but mainly ignored him.

He kept walking towards the door that led into the Forest of Darkness and opened it. Still, Laila was nowhere to be seen. He saw the grim trees again, and this time he was also able to see the dark shadows that had attacked him, but this time they were just roaming around aimlessly. He stepped into the forest and waited for the blow, which never came.

He looked around and saw that there were two paths: one leading towards the right side of the forest, and the other leading forward. He knew that the one leading forward led into the gap, which isolated the room where the priestess dwelt, so he took the path leading to the right. He walked for a few minutes and then reached another door, which he opened.

"What the…?" he murmured. He found himself in front of a murky pond. On the other side, there was another door with a mirror, similar to the one he had seen before, stuck to it. He approached the door and grabbed the handle, but he felt a pain jolting though his arm and he released it. He looked at the handle and saw that it had the golden Triforce carved into it. He looked at his reflection in the mirror again and then he noticed her: Laila was floating by the door where he had entered! He turned around but he couldn't see her. When he looked again into the mirror he saw her reflection again.

"What, is she inside of the mirror?" he asked himself, raised a hand and touched the glass.

Link felt as if he had been pulled into the mirror and he closed his eyes in surprise until the feeling of his life being sucked out from him left.

"Link, Link!" yelled Laila from across the room.

Link turned around and saw her with difficulty by the door. There was again that dark fog floating around the room, with the murky pond in the middle.

"What… what happened?" asked Link.

"You turned into a black specter" she explained from across the room. "I tried calling your name but you didn't answer me, so eventually I stopped. Then I followed you here. I don't know why, but the magic on the forest didn't seem to affect me. Then, you crossed this foggy room and touched the door and WHAM, there you are again."

Link stared at her, perplexed. He turned around and saw the door with the Triforce-engraved handle. He reached for the knob and opened it.

"Wait for me here," he told the fairy, and he entered the room.

* * *

><p>Things inside the Castle, and even in Castle Town, were going as bad as they could go. A curfew had been established, and anybody discovered talking to the same person for over three minutes was considered a conspirator and was locked up. Merchants were closing their businesses and, inside the Castle, security had been intensified so much that there were guards outside, and even inside, the restrooms.<p>

Zelda was sitting on her bed, eating the lunch that she had been given by one of her jailors. Viacka was also there, sheepishly nibbling a toast.

"We will get through this… I promise," said Zelda, trying to encourage her maid.

"May the Gods listen to you, my Lady."

A tear rolled down Viacka's cheek and Zelda held her hand, squeezing it softly. The girl wiped the tear away and smiled at the Princess.

"Trust me," said Zelda, "everything will be fine."

* * *

><p>Link looked up, staring at the top of the large tree in the middle of the room. He walked close to it and then something wrapped itself around his ankle, pulled away and made him fall to the floor. The rope unwrapped again and he saw it being reeled back towards the top of the tree. He followed it and saw the large armored moblin hanging with one hand from the top branches. He had something in his arm. Link pulled out his shield as he saw a sort of hook being shot at him from the moblin's arm, and he blocked it with the shield.<p>

The moblin, enraged for having missed its target, let go of the branch and fell to the ground. He screamed in rage and rammed Link. He was sent flying and landed on his back, close to the door. He lifted his sword and jumped to his feet, but the moblin shot his hook again and the rope wrapped itself around Link's ankle. When the moblin pulled, Link was thrown into the air, made an arc, and slammed against the tree's trunk.

As the moblin reeled back his weapon, Link took the chance and stringed an arrow in his bow, aimed at the moblin, and let go. The arrow flew straight and pierced the armor that covered the moblin's belly. The creature screamed in rage and pain and rammed Link again, but he managed to dodge it just in time.

"Come on! Is that all what you've got?" taunted Link, and he hit the creature with his sword, but wasn't able to hurt him as the back-plate received the impact.

The moblin swung one of his fat arms and hit Link, sending him flying again, but he was ready: while in the air, he stringed another arrow and shot at the creature. The shaft pierced the moblin's neck, right where it wasn't protected by the armor. Link fell to the floor, rolled, ran towards the moblin, jumped into the air and stabbed him. The sword sank up to almost half of the blade. Link pulled it back and, with a somersault, jumped back to the floor as the creature fell forward lifeless.

"That'll teach you," he said, as he made a flourish with his sword and sheathed it again.

After making sure the moblin was dead, he walked by it and examined the gadget in his arm: it was crafted in bronze and silver and had the emblem of Faron engraved on it. It had a chamber inside with a golden rope, and a hook at the closed end.

"This is it!" said Link in surprise. "It's the Rope of Faron! Threaded with one of his hairs, according to the legend."

Link held it with reverence and stored it inside his satchel. He then exited the room and faced another problem: dark fog.

"Link! You ok?" asked Laila from across the room.

"Yeah, but I think I am going to have to go through this again," he said. "Here I go."

He took another deep breath and endured the pain as he was once more turned into a specter by the dark fog. He looked up and saw Laila had disappeared, or at least that's what it looked like, but now he knew she was still there but for some reason he couldn't see her.

He returned to the dark forest and followed the path back into where he started. He then turned and followed the other that led into the gap. He reached inside his satchel and fitted the Rope of Faron into his arm. He looked around and saw a thick branch that hung from the ceiling.

"Well, here I go," he said, and aimed at the branch.

The hook shot upwards and the rope wrapped itself into the branch. Link pulled several times, making sure it was tightly secured, and jumped forward. He swung across the gorge and reached a small ledge on the other side. As soon as his feet touched the ground he felt the rope unwrap and return to him. _"It really is magical, if it knows when to come back,"_ thought Link. He looked at the door in front of him, entirely made of gold and emerald. A small mirror was in the middle of it, and this time Link knew what to do.

After the horrible feeling that involved him turning back to normal passed, he saw Laila hovering next to him.

"I think I'm never getting used to that," she said. "You look so frightening."

"Let's just get inside. Maybe the priestess can help us," said Link, and he opened the door.


	13. THE SACRED GROVE

**A/N: OK, so this is a shor one, but I'm merely wrapping up the Forest Temple and setting the base for the next chapter. Enjoy! R&R**

* * *

><p>Link closed the door behind it walked a few steps into the room. He heard a loud thud and turned around while unsheathing his sword, just in time to see a large rock wall falling behind him and blocking the entrance. He then heard a girly giggle and turned around again. He saw that the room seemed to be another withered circular garden, completely shaded by the tree branches above it. In the middle of the garden, there was a dead tree, and cross it, a small grotto. Inside the grotto, Link a small bed, and he saw in surprise that the girl-specter that he had encountered before was standing next to it.<p>

"Who are you!?" yelled Link.

"I told you to leave," replied the girl, her eyes now shining with rage. "I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE!" She rose into the air and began casting blasts of dark energy at the dead tree in the middle.

Link backed away as he saw the tree twitching and growing, its branches whipping around and reaching for Link. He dodged the attacking branches and sliced the air with his sword. The tree dug up the ground with its branches and Link saw how the room began shaking. Then, thick wooden spikes erupted from the floor, one of them nearly impaling Link.

"Link, look!" called him Laila, as she fluttered next to the trunk of the tree.

Link noticed what she was showing him: an opening allowed him to see a hollow space inside the trunk, where a dark orb of energy was twirling. He instinctively reached for the Rope of Faron and aimed it at the orb. It shot forward and the rope wrapped itself around it, and Link reeled it back.

The tree fell motionless and Link struck the orb with his sword. This seemed to hurt the girl-specter, who was hovering above the tree, as she screamed in pain and shot another burst of energy at the tree.

"Link, I think that if you continue like this you will be able to defeat her," said Laila.

"Let's try it then," agreed Link.

The tree whipped one of the branches again and, this time, it managed to wrap it around Link. He struggled hard to break free, but the tree slammed him to the floor.

"Link!" yelled Laila. "Look out!"

He raised his sword in time to stop a branch from crushing him. He rolled sideways and stood up again. His back was in pain but he managed to endure it. As the tree dug up the ground again, Link saw the opening revealing the dark orb once more, so he readied the Rope of Faron and aimed.

"Bullseye!" said Link, when the rope reeled back bringing the orb with it, and he sliced it again with his sword.

After repeating the process one more time, the girl-specter began to convulse in rage. Link saw how the tree began to crumble to pieces and the girl fall back into the ground. Laila fluttered behind Link as he raised his shield and the girl held her head in her hands, screaming as if in pain. Her eyes opened and they began to glow and a dark cloud began rising from her.

"Link, what's going on!?" yelled Laila.

"I don't know! Brace yourself!" he replied.

Then, there was a loud bang and a flash, as an expansive wave of light radiated from the girl and Link was tossed backwards.

* * *

><p>Garoth screamed in rage as he looked through the window of the throne room towards the forest. He could see a strong beam of light being shot upwards into the sky and the dark cloud slowly dissipating. He couldn't believe this was happening. He turned to look in the direction of the Barrens and then where he had sent the rest of his demons.<p>

"Curse, you!" he yelled, as he looked again towards the forest, which was now slowly being illuminated by the bright sunlight.

* * *

><p>Zelda looked through her window with Viacka. They were holding hands and crying out of happiness.<p>

"You did it, Link," she said in a low voice. "You did it!"

* * *

><p>Link came back to his senses and slowly opened his eyes. His back was sore and his head felt like if it had been burst open, but besides from that he was alive. He sat up and realized that he was in the middle of the meadow where he had been fighting. It was one more green and blossoming, and the tree in the middle was again full of life. Sunlight filtered through the tree branches above... and he wasn't alone: Laila was fluttering next to him and a small girl, about the age of nine, clad in a dark green gown with a silver stole with the emblems of the Triforce and Faron threaded into it with golden threads. She had light brown eyes and sand colored hair.<p>

"Wh… what happened?" he asked.

"The curse has been dispelled," said the little girl. "You have saved the forest from darkness and released me from my dark possession."

"And… who are you?" asked Link, as he stood up and looked at the girl.

"My name is Joy," she replied with a smile. "I'm a Kokiri, the last of them. I have been guarding this temple as it's priestess since as long as the old days, and I have been waiting for you to come."

Link looked at Laila, and then they both saw the pink fairy that came out from the grotto and fluttered next to Joy.

"You're a fairy girl?" asked Laila.

"Yes, that's how they used to call us in the old legends," replied Joy. "Link, you have broken the curse and the Forest Temple has now returned to normal. You must break the curses on the Water Sanctuary, in Lake Hylia; and The Fortress of Doom, in the middle of The Barrens. Only then, will you be able to restore the power of the Heart of Light and gain access to the Sacred Grove."

"The Sacred Grove?" asked Link, clearly confused.

"The place where the Legendary Blade rests, waiting for the Hero to wield it once more."

"That's it!" shrieked Laila. "The door in the small garden in the other room! That's the entrance to the Sacred Grove."

"Yes… it is…" said Joy with a broad smile. "Link, hurry up! You must head to Lake Hylia and break the curse that has fallen upon the Water Sanctuary! I'll take you back to the entrance." She raised her hands and Link saw a halo of light surrounding him on the floor. Soon, it was too bright for him to be able to see anything. When the light faded away, he was in the middle of the meadow outside the temple.

"Link!" said Laila. "Do you…?"

"Yes! I can see it!"

The meadow was once more a beautiful place. Flowers were once more blossoming around and the trees were green again. A few birds were hopping on the floor, pecking for worms.

"We did it…" said Link, sighing with relief. "Well… to Lake Hylia."

Link sprinted towards the edge of the meadow and went into the forest.

* * *

><p>Taglo was standing at the top of the watch tower in Kakariko Village. He was looking at the sky above the forest with a deep smile across his face.<p>

"Well done, Link. I knew we could count on you."

Then, there was a scream and Taglo looked down. He then reached for the bell and began sounding it with all his strength, while he yelled at the top of his lungs:

"LIZALFOOOOOS! RUUUUN!"


	14. FIRE AND TEARS OF KAKARIKO

**A/N: Why had nobody informed me that I had been spelling "Shiekah" wrong all this time!? xD (I had been writing "Sheikah"). Well... I HAD TO upload a new chapter today. You don't know how difficult it is to write an over 2600 word chapter on the tiny screen of a Samsung Galaxy S III - Mini x_x... it took me nearly 4 hours laying in my bed while non-stop thumbing the screen as fast as I could (usually it doesn't take me more than 1-2 hours to write each chapter!) OMG, my thumbs are still screaming for mercy! Well, anyways, here it is! HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

* * *

><p>Tara looked up into the sky, as she entered the gates that led to her village. She had seen the bright column of light erupting from somewhere deep into the forest, and she wondered if somehow Link had been involved in its appearance. She came into view of the first houses and then she heard a scream of relief. She pulled the reins and the horse stopped, as she climbed down and ran towards her crying mother.<p>

"Tara! Oh, Tara, thank the Gods!" she yelled as they embraced.

"Mom!" cried Tara. Nico, one of Tara's younger brothers, went to fetch the horse and led it to the stable, as her mother led her towards the house.

"We've been so worried," sobbed her mom. "Since your father returned..." Tara stopped in her tracks and interrupted her.

"Daddy's here!?" she yelled and cried in relief while running to the house.

She entered and saw her dad lying on the couch. He had an arm in a splint and a bandage wrapped around the head. Her older sister, Cara, was feeding him some pumpkin stew with a spoon.

"Daddy!" shrieked Tara, and she ran towards him.

"Oh, goodness, you're ok!" he said. "I've been worried sick not knowing what had happened to you."

They embraced, though he felt a jolt of pain which he tried to ignore. When they let go she wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled.

"How is it that you...?" she asked.

"Well..." he began, and took a deep breath before recounting the events of the previous night.

_"You must warn the village!" he yelled, and then she was gone, lost into the darkness._

_The moblins caught up with him, and he reached for the small axe he had in his cart._

_"Come on, you pigs!" he yelled, and he swung the axe._

_One of the moblins screamed in pain, as the axe sunk into his arm. He yanked the axe from Mr. Durian's hand and tossed it aside._

_Mr. Durian could see bokoblins running into the woods. It was too dark to see how many of them they were. He turned back to the moblin that was now lifting him and braced for the final blow, but it never came._

_The moblin kept looking at him, expressionless, with the tip of an arrow protruding from his bloodied chest. He dropped Mr. Durian and fell dead to the floor. The other moblin, thinking that Mr. Durian had been the one that killed his friend, swung and arm and Mr. Durian felt his arm bones snap. The blow sent him flying to a tree and he hit the trunk with his head. He fell to the floor and passed out, but not before he saw the dark cloaked figure stabbing the moblin with his sword._

_When he woke up, he found himself in his own house, with his family tending him. All of them… except for Tara._

Tara looked at his father in awe. There was something that she needed to know, though.

"But, how did you get here? Who was the cloaked person?"

"We don't know," replied her mother. "Cara saw the cart coming from the forest early this morning and your dad was laying unconscious inside. It was being pulled by a horse that we didn't recognize."

Tara looked into the once again bright sky. She couldn't be sure about it, but she had a feeling she knew who it had been.

* * *

><p>Link was walking through the forest. When he walked by the gate that led to the ruins of Ordon Village he heard that someone was calling him. He walked slowly, trying to follow the voice, and he found himself entering through a gate, which he hadn't seen before, completely hidden by vines.<p>

He saw that there was a small spring in front of him. Water was so pure that he felt he would be committing grave fault if he stepped into it. Then, a bright light appeared in the middle of the spring and Link saw a bright animal, sort of like a goat with a bright orb of light, appear. Link covered his eyes due to the brightness from the celestial being in front of him.

"Welcome, Link. I have been expecting thee to come." It spoke in a solemn voice.

"Who... who are you?" asked Link.

"I am one of the guardian spirits of Hyrule, and my name is Ordona."

"Ordona?" asked Link. "I've never heard of you."

"It was decided, many ages ago, that that's how it had to be. This was once the Ordona province, birthplace of thy ancestor, the Hero of Twilight. When he cast evil back into the void, pace returned to Hyrule; however, as decades went by, Ordona was raided and destroyed by his enemies, and I was weakened. My brother and also guardian spirit, Faron, took care of the remains of Ordona, and it all became the realm of Faron. I slept... slept over the ages that came afterwards. Slept and hoped that one day the Hero would return, and that the Darkness would be once more forced to recede."

"I promise I will restore Hyrule to its former glory," said Link before he could realize what he was saying.

"I trust you will," replied Ordona. "Only you can save Hyrule."

Having said that, the spirit lowered his antlers in reverence and then turned into an orb of light while slowly sinking back into the water of the spring.

"Link..." said Laila, finally coming out of his hat again.

Link was standing still, looking at the pond in a solemn way. He then turned around and they both left the spring.

* * *

><p>Taglo swung his sword back and forth. He saw one of the men fighting by his side fall dead on the floor. The heat of the flames around him was becoming unbearable. He stabbed the lizalfos that he was fighting with and then stringed an arrow, shooting it at the head of the one that had killed his partner.<p>

Ages ago, the Shiekah had nearly been wiped out. They had managed to settle down in a small village, hidden from the rest of the world, and from there they managed to survive. Now, they seemed to be facing the same fate.

"Taglo!" he heard the voice of his sister, calling him from the cart that was about to exit the village. Their mother was trying to pull her back into the cart.

"Zana! Flee!" yelled Taglo, while he stabbed a running bulbin and turned around to look at his little sister one more time.

Zana was barely thirteen. She had her long red hair tied up in a ponytail behind her head and was wearing a long dress with the emblem of the Shiekah threaded on her chest. Taglo saw a moblin running towards her and he shot an arrow at him.

"Zana, leave, now!" he yelled, as he ran to help another warrior who was being attacked by two lizalfos.

Then, even though the sky was covered by a dark cloud, he saw the winged shadow grow larger on the floor. Everyone looked up and saw the black dragon that was soaring from Death Mountain towards the village. People began screaming and the lizalfos started to retreat. Taglo saw the dragon open its mouth and fumes began to emanate from it.

"ZANA, GOOO!" yelled Taglo, and she finally climbed up into the cart.

Taglo stopped dead on his tracks, as he saw the cart engulfed in the fiery blast from the dragon's fire.

* * *

><p>Link exited the forest and saw the sky above Hyrule Field, still covered by the black mantle of darkness.<p>

"Link, let's now head to Lake Hyl..." began saying Laila, but then she interrupted herself and fluttered past him. "Link, what's that?" she asked.

Link turned around and saw the bright blaze in the distance, right at the feet of Death Mountain, and the thick column of smoke rising into the sky.

"Laila, let's go!" yelled Link, as he sprinted forward, heading towards the mountain.

* * *

><p>Zelda couldn't hold back her tears. She had seen the blaze growing by Kakariko Village from her window, and she knew that the town had been destroyed. Viacka was holding her and stroking Zelda's hair while the Princess let out her sorrows.<p>

"Lost... completely lost..." she said while sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, my Lady," said Viacka.

"How many lives must we lose before this war can end?" she asked. "Gods! Tell me, will it be enough if I simply embrace death so that others can be spared?"

She closed her eyes. She could hear Viacka now sobbing, but the Gods remained silent.

* * *

><p>It took Link a couple hours before he reached Kakariko Village. He had encountered a few bokoblins on the way and a few skeletal warriors, which Laila told him were called 'stalfos' ("cursed fallen soldiers from ancient times," she had explained). When he walked through the gate of the village, he saw the flaming ruins of what had been, until now, the hometown of the Shiekah.<p>

People where walking around, mourning and crying. Some of them carried their dead in their arms, some of which were children. Injured men were treating their wounds and some others tried to put out the fires. Link saw several carts on fire, the corpses of their passengers and horses still visible amongst the flames.

By one of the carts, Link recognized the young man, with a bandage wrapped around his head and covering one eye: it was Taglo. Link ran up to him and saw a tear rolling down his cheek.

"Taglo?" asked Link shyly. "Taglo, what happened?"

Taglo didn't reply. He kept staring at the burning cart without even blinking, even though the smoke was surely hurting his eyes as much as it was hurting Link's.

"Taglo, let's go," said Link. "Tell me what..."

"She wanted to become a Shiekah warrior..." he said, interrupting Link. "She was going to begin her training as soon as she turned fifteen."

Link simply looked at his friend, unable to find any appropriate words to say. Taglo kept on.

"My father was teaching her how to counter basic hand to hand combat moves and she liked to practice on me whenever she had a chance." A grim smile drew across Taglo's face. "She actually knocked me down once just because I was going to eat the last slice of pie. She was only twelve when that happened!" Taglo turned around and saw Link face to face. "Link... we've got to find them... we've got to find them and bring down the ones who killed my little sister." He couldn't hold it back any longer. He fell on his knees and began crying hard, while Link placed a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

><p>Link stayed for the rest of the day in Kakariko Village, or what was left of it. He helped the survivors put out the fires and gather the corpses around. Some of the bodies were so charred that they were impossible to recognize, and others had died because of their injuries in the battle.<p>

Half of the village had been burned down to the ground, while the rest of it had been looted and the houses and businesses showed scorched marks and broken windows. Some buildings had been gravely damaged, but at least they were still standing.

When Taglo was finally able to speak again, he told Link the whole account of the battle. Link, on the other hand, told him how he had managed to lift the curse from the Forest Temple, and how he had met Joy, the Kokiri priestess of the temple. Link told him about the Sacred Grove and the Legendary Blade that rested there.

"That's it!" yelled Taglo, smiling for the first time since Link had found him by the burnt cart of his family. "You must get the Master Sword! The Blade of Evil's Bane!"

"I'm sorry," said Link, "you just lost me. The what?"

Taglo entered the crumbling house behind him, his own, one of the few that hadn't been completely burned down, and came out with a thick book. It's corners were a bit charred.

"According to the legend," he said as he opened the book and searched through it, "the Goddess Hylia created the Goddess Sword, which was then wielded by the first Hero, who bathed it with the three sacred flames. It then was reforged into the legendary Master Sword, a blade so powerful that it would be able to destroy Evil whenever it came. Only the one worthy of the title of Hero of Hyrule would be able to pull it out of the pedestal where it's embedded and wield it to counter darkness." He found what he had been looking for and turned the book around so that Link could see the picture of an elegant ornamented sword. It had a dark purple hilt with a golden gem embedded, and the crest of the Triforce was engraved into the blade.

"Is that the Master Sword?" asked Link.

"Exactly," replied Taglo. "It is told that several times it has been used in order to dispel the darkness that covered the world. Link, it is your destiny to wield it again and put an end to the age of darkness that is threatening the world."

"I need to go to Lake Hylia," said Link, while standing up. "I must remove the curse from the Water Sanctuary."

"I see. I think I can help you with something." Taglo took him to a part of Kakariko Village that hadn't been destroyed and led him to a stable. "It's a long way from here to the lake, so you better take a horse." He pulled at the reins of a brown one, which Link immediately recognized.

"Epona!" he yelled, as he ran to his horse and stroke her face. "Where did you find her?"

"Outside of Castle Town. I didn't know she was yours!"

Link climbed up onto Epona's saddle and looked at Taglo.

"Thank you, my friend," said Link, and he stretched out a hand.

"I'll see you around," said Taglo, shaking his hand. "Thank you, Link, for giving me hopes again."

Link nodded and he urged Epona forward, and she dashed towards the exit of the scarred town.

* * *

><p>Joy, the Kokiri priestess, was sitting with her legs crossed at the shrine of Faron in the forest temple. She was praying for Link when suddenly a light orb appeared from the water below and rose to her level. A shining monkey-like creature formed from the light and spoke up solemnly:<p>

"Ordona has also been awoken," he said. "He has spoken to the Hero already."

"Link carries a great weight," said Joy with her eyes still closed in prayer, "yet he embraced his destiny without doubting."

"He is indeed worthy of carrying the Triforce of Courage."

Joy opened her eyes and looked up and the spirit in front of her. A few tears were running down her cheek.

"Yet the wielder of the Triforce of Power is still waiting for his time to come," she said. "Besides, Link had to fall into darkness to save me, and he will have to again. Will he have also enough wisdom as to be able to resist the power of darkness from getting into his heart?"

"If not," replied Faron with a faint smile and slowly sinking back into his pond, "in times of darkness there is one that can help him come back into the light."

"Let's just hope she is courageous enough," said Joy softly, and she closed her eyes again, going back to her prayers.


	15. LAKE TOWN

**A/B: RIP 2014... Hello 2015! As promised, I give you the next chapter of this dark story. I was thinking _"hey, Link isn't kicking butts and saving people all the time..." _so I tought that maybe he needs a moment of peace every now and then. Enjoy this chapter! And may the Goddess of Time bless you all!**

* * *

><p>Link arrived at the gate that led to the long staircase that led to the Lake Hylia. It took him nearly an hour of galloping and the sun had finally set down a few minutes ago. He climbed down from Epona and leaned over the rail to look down the cliff into the lake. The stair had been carved directly into the rocky side of the cliff a few centuries ago. It was said that, the previous one been made of wood, had been destroyed many more centuries before, and hence the only way into the lake was going a long way round through Zora's River and trying to row against the strong current.<p>

He tied Epona to a post and started climbing down the stairs. He was about halfway down when he heard a squawk. He turned around and saw about four guays diving towards him from directly above. He pulled an arrow to his bow and aimed at the leader of the flock which, he assumed, was the one in front. He released the string. The crow-like creature was pierced through by the arrow and dropped dead, while the others squawked in fear and flew away.

"We must have disturbed some nests," guessed Laila.

"Let's move on silently," replied Link. "Let's try not to disturb them again."

They reassumed their way towards the lake and, about half an hour later, they finally reached the bottom of the stairway. Link smiled when he looked at Lake Town for the first time: it was a picturesque town with red and blue ceilinged houses and wooden bridges serving as floating walkways. Most of the town was built on a small island in the middle of the lake, but many buildings were also floating along the shore and into the water. Link crossed the bridge that connected the ledge where the stairway ended and the island, and walked around the town looking in every direction with curiosity.

Lanterns were lit all around the town, illuminating it; some people were still outside, some closing up their businesses, and some other opening the overnight ones. Link saw a small boathouse with a sign that read: 'Lana and Dana Boat Rental'. A couple children ran past him chasing a dog and Link entered a small business, a bazaar.

"Ahoy, there!" greeted the shopkeeper. Link looked at him and saw that he was a wide man, with broad arms and long black beard. He had a pair of spectacles, one of which was slightly cracked, and was smiling at Link. "Welcome ter Lake Bazaar, the perfect place ter find goods fer travelers like you. How can I help ya'?"

"Er…" began Link, looking around. Was there anything he needed? Oh, sure! "Do you sell arrows?" he asked, as he realized that his were nearly depleted (Taglo had given him the quiver nearly empty).

"Sure I do!" said the shopkeeper, and he turned around and reached for a bundle. "How many d'ya need?"

"Let me see." Link counted the ones he had left: only five arrows. "Well, I think this quiver holds up to twenty arrows, so fifteen should do."

"Fifteen arrows then, is it?" The shopkeeper made some calculations with his fingers. "That'll be 30 rupees, boy."

Link reached for his satchel. He still had the 800 rupees that he had received for the sword. "Sorry Mr. Regol, I'll pay you back." He paid for the arrows and stored them in the quiver. Something then caught his attention.

"Sorry sir, what's that?" he asked, pointing at a small bottle full of a red liquid substance.

"Oh, yeh mean me mum's finest red potion," said the shopkeeper, while reaching for it. "She lives in the woods, and is the finest potion brewer there is, I can tell ya'. One single sip will replenish your health and heal any wounds. I'll sell yeh one vial refill fer 40 rupees."

Link felt his heart sink, he didn't have any vials to fill, but he was sure that potion would be handy.

"Don't worry boy," said the shopkeeper. "Just fer this once I'll sell ya' the vial fer 50 rupees, potion included. Yeh can keep the vial and come back fer a refill any time!"

Link paid for the potion and took the vial. After storing it in his pouch he thanked the shopkeeper and exited the store. He walked along the planks towards a medium-sized building in the middle of the island which had a sign that read: 'Stinky Pike's Inn'. He opened the door and a small bell rang signaling his entrance. He found himself in front of a tiny reception with two doors: one leading to a steep set of stairs, and the other into a dining room from which a strong smell of cooked fish was coming. There was a cracked reception desk in front of him, behind which there was a narrow door. A young girl, with bright green eyes and her golden hair hurriedly tied up in a messy bun above her head, about the same age as Link, came through the door and leaned on the desk.

"Hi!" she said in a girly voice. "Welcome to the Stinky Pike's Inn. I'm Oreana, do you need a room?"

"Link," said Laila, fluttering in front of him. "You should really get a shuteye. It's been a harsh day, we can go to Zora's Domain tomorrow."

"Owww, what a cute little fairy!" said Oreana in awe. "How did you find her?"

"Long story," said Link with a smile. "Is there any rooms available?"

"Sure!" said Oreana as she winked an eye at him and looked through her registry book. "You can take the Skippyjack Room, second floor to the left." She then fumbled around a box under the desk and held out a small key. "Would you like to try out our famous Hylian Pike Stew? It's on the house!"

"Sure," said Link, realizing how starved he was.

"Cool! I'll bring it to your room in a few minutes."

Link waved and climbed up the stairs to the second floor. A few minutes later, he had taken a shower (nearly freezing in the process, due to the coldness of the water) and was sitting on his bed with a tray in front of him. He set down the empty bowl of stew and put the tray aside on a desk.

"We should rise early tomorrow," said Link. "As soon as we rise, we can rent one of those boats and go upstream Zora's River into Zora's Domain."

"That if dreamy-eyes down there doesn't ask you to stay over for lunch," replied Laila.

"Jealous?" asked Link playfully as he lay down.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked irritated.

"Yes, I am," replied Link and he closed his eyes. He fell asleep immediately.

* * *

><p>Zelda woke up startled the next morning when heard the door being unlocked. She sat up and woke Viacka just when the door was sung open and Captain Leoni came in, followed closely by two soldiers. She noticed that they were wearing a different armor now, light gray instead of silver and golden, and had the emblem of the Gerudo on it, instead of the one from the Royal Family. She recognized the symbol, as she had seen it in a few history books when she was being homeschooled.<p>

"Lord Garoth wishes to see you," he said, and ordered the two guards tie her hands.

"Leave her alone!" shouted Viacka.

"Stay put, stupid girl!" said Captain Leoni, drawing a sharp knife and pointing it at her.

"Stop it!" yelled Zelda. Captain Leoni looked at her and then smiled. He sheathed back the knife. He motioned the guards to follow him and they exited the room, dragging Zelda along by the arms, and locking Viacka inside again.

Zelda was led, or more like dragged, by the two guards all the way to the throne room. She shrieked in anguish when she saw her father, the King, hovering above the throne in a cloud of dark purple energy. Garoth was sitting on the throne, looking her with an angered look in his eyes.

"Leave us," he commanded the guards, who bowed and left the room.

Zelda watched Garoth as he stood up and paced around her. He followed him with her head all the way until he was standing in front of her again. Her sight was blurred by her tears, and her wrists were sore because of the tight ropes binding her hands.

"Where is he, Princess?" asked Garoth with a cold voice.

Zelda remained silent.

"I won't say it again… where is he?" he repeated, drawing out his sword, the beautiful sword that he had won at the tournament.

"Fighting…" she finally spoke. "Fighting with courage to defeat you."

Garoth raised his sword and swung it to strike Zelda, but a deep commanding voice reverberated around the room:

"STOP!" it said. "Leave her to me…"

"Master," murmured Garoth, sinking to one knee and stopping his swing inches away from Zelda's body.

"I will soon break free and she will be dead by my own hand."

Zelda sobbed, panic growing inside of her. She couldn't see where the voice came from or who was speaking. Somehow, she thought that it was coming from within Garoth himself. She saw him look back at her and stand up again. He sheathed his sword and called the guards. They came in and grabbed Zelda by the arms one more time.

"You are playing a game which is out of your league," he said. "I know what is it that you hold, and lucky you I can touch you because of it. But my master will be able to take it from you, and then you won't have any reason to live. I will laugh while you plead for your life to end."

He gestured the guards and the exited the room, dragging along a scared crying Zelda.

_"Oh Gods, please I pray for you to give me the strength I need,"_ she prayed while the guards led her through the dark corridors of the Castle and back to her room.

* * *

><p>Link woke up startled; someone was knocking on the door. He sat up on his bed and walked up to the door.<p>

"Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me! Oreana!" he heard the girly voice on the other side of the door. "We're serving breakfast in 15 minutes, we have Greengill Sandwiches today! Should I save you some?"

"All right, I'll be down in a minute."

"Cheerful girl isn't she?" said Laila, while she fluttered next to Link.

He shrugged with a smile, got dressed again and grabbed his gear. When he went downstairs again he was met by Oreana by the door of the dining room.

"There you are, sleepyhead!" she greeted him with a smile. "Come, I saved a table for you."

She dragged Link by the hand and led him to one of the 5 empty tables (actually, there were only 5 tables in the whole dining room). She put a small plate with a sandwich in front of him, which he held up smiling and then took a bite; it was a bit salty but ok. Oreana smiled happily.

"Can I sit?" she finally asked.

"Sure," replied Link. Laila rolled her eyes and hid in his hat again.

Oreana pulled the chair next to Link and smiled at him.

"You're not from around her, are you?" she asked.

"No, I'm actually from the forest."

"You don't look like you come from the forest," she said intrigued. "Your clothing is very strange, and you have all those shiny weapons. Are you a sort of warrior or something?"

"You could say that," replied Link, feeling a bit awkward. "What about you?"

"Oh, I was born in Kakariko Village, but my family moved into Lake Town when I was about 4 years old."

Link looked through the window and saw that it had started to rain. The town was hence even darker than when Link arrived last night, due to the rainclouds that were added to the black clouds that already covered the Lanayru Province. A pair of people entered the dining room and sat down on a table close to theirs. They wore dark cloaks and had veils covering their faces. They began talking in a low voice. Link realized that they were both women.

"Do you know at what time does Lana and Dana Boat Rental opens to business?" he asked, finishing his sandwich.

"Well," she said, as in doubt. Link saw her smile fade for the first time. "They haven't been open to business since like two months. That was when Dana disappeared while taking some customers upstream. Lana then went out searching for her and we've never seen any of them again."

"I need to get to Zora's Domain," explained Link.

"Zora's Domain?" she asked intrigued. "The Zora's haven't been too eager for foreign visitors since their Queen died so mysteriously. Why do you need to go there?"

Link wasn't sure about this girl. He didn't know if he could trust her enough. He stared at the two women at the other table and then he froze in his seat. They were also looking at him, frozen as they had been ready to get up. The following events happened within the blink of an eye:

Oreana jumped from her seat as Link drew out his sword and held up his shield.

One of the women tossed a knife at him but he blocked it with his shield.

The other female removed her cloak, revealing her bright red outfit underneath: it was a Gerudo.

Link slammed the first Gerudo with his shield knocking her down.

The second unsheathed a long scimitar and slashed at Link, who parried it.

Link knocked her down as well and reached for Oreana's hand.

They were about to exit the dining room when one of the attackers yanked at Oreana.

Surprising everyone, Oreana turned around and kicked her in the face, knocking her out.

The remaining Gerudo jumped to her feet and tossed a flash pellet in front of her, disappearing.

Link and Oreana looked at the wrecked dining room and then at each other. Laila, who had come out of Link's hat during the struggle and hid inside a vase by the door, came out of her hiding place and fluttered towards him.

"We need to talk," said Oreana before Link could say a word. She took him by the hand and led him towards a secret trapdoor behind her desk, which led to a ladder down to a dark basement.


	16. PARTNERS

**A/N: after some research, I realized that it IS spelled Sheikah and not Shiekah, so to the one that gavr me the bad info, thanks _... anyways, here's a new chapter! Dedicated to my ever faithful reader and reviewer Joystick Gamer (now changed to Ayako Zetra for some reason xD), and my newest follower and reviewer courtlee79****... Enjoy! :-D**

* * *

><p>Oreana led Link into an underground room, softly illuminated by a few torches and a small chimney. She pointed a small square table with two chairs and motioned Link to sit down. He obeyed and she sat on the opposite chair facing him.<p>

"You ok?" she asked.

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," replied Link perplexed. He then saw the tatoo on her neck: the eye with the three spikes. "You're a Sheikah," he said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes, I am. You could say I'm their contact here in Lake Town. I'm sorry for my giggly-googly girl acting before, but I couldn't let my cover be blown before I verified your identity." She stared at him critically and then she pulled out a folded parchment. "I got this just a few minutes before you came through the door of the inn." She began smiling again. Link stretched a hand to take it ("at least she's back to her good mood," he thought). Link unfolded the parchment and read the letter:

_Kakariko Village has fallen. It was attacked and burned down by the dragon demon that dwells in the mountain. Many have been killed. A friend of mine showed up in the last minute and helped us gather the dead and put out the fires. He is now on his way to Lake Hylia in a very important mission, his name is Link and he has been sent by the gods; he is the Hero we've been waiting for. You must take him to Zora's Domain as soon as possible and help him any way you can. _

_Taglo_

Link looked up at Oreana who was still smiling at him.

"When I took your hand before I saw the crest of the Triforce on it, and I knew it was you," she said.

"What about the two women that attacked us?" asked Link.

"They were Gerudo, thieves from the dessert," she explained, "they dwell on the fortress that lays beyond the barrier, all the way into the very core of the Barrens. They have been coming to Lake Town for several days now. That's how we knew things were going bad."

"How have you been handling them so far?"

"That's the bad news," said Oreana, her smile slowly fading. "We have been forced by the Gerudo to pay tribute to Garoth: 100 rupees each business and 50 rupees each family. If one refuses to pay... Link, Dana and Lana did and you know now how that ended."

Link sat back with a grim face. Laila was now fluttering around the room. They sat in silence for about a minute and then Link stood up. He had heard something upstairs. Oreana stood up as well and grabbed an ancient-looking wooden crossbow that hung from the wall and a small quiver of bolts. She armed it and stood behind Link.

"I guess they're not guests?" asked Link.

"I don't think so," replied Oreana.

Laila fluttered towards the ladder that led upstairs and peeked through a crack.

"Gerudo soldiers," she said. "I can count three of them, but there may be more."

"You sure you know how to use that?" asked Link looking at Oreana, who was gripping tightly the crossbow.

"I'm a fully trained Sheikah," she said with a smile. "I sure know how to defend myself."

On Link's count, they barged through the trapdoor making one of the Gerudo nearby trip startled and fall back on her butt. Link knocked her out with his shield and then tackled another one. A third Gerudo raised her sword and then she fell backwards with a bolt protruding from her chest.

"Link, behind you!" yelled Laila.

He rolled sideways as a fourth Gerudo stabbed at him, but killing her friend instead, who was lying under him.

Link parried the second blow from his attacker and saw Oreana finding off another masked female. He then remembered the small leather bag that was tied to his waist; he jabbed his attacker, grabbed a pellet from the bag (he saw it was black, about the size of a plum, and had the emblem of the Sheikah engraved on it), and tossed it with all his strength to the floor. There was a loud bang and a flash of light. Link realized that he hadn't been affected by it, as he was perfectly capable of seeing the four remaining Gerudo covering their eyes, as well as Oreana.

He felt the Triforce in his hand again, and before he knew what he was doing, he jumped into the air, twirled his sword and sunk it into the ground with both hands. Four bursts of energy shot from the sword, trailed through the floor and hit each a Gerudo. The four women where tossed into the air, flew backwards and then hit the walls behind them. They fell to the floor and lay there motionless.

Oreana, having finally recovered from the flash, was staring at Link, who was pulling out his sword and sheathing it again.

"Nice moves, Hero," she said with a deep smile.

"Thanks... I swear I don't know what happened or how I did that."

"It's the Triforce," she explained, "it's teaching you new abilities."

The two of them kept staring at each other for a few secons, Oreana's eyes full of admiration, until Laila decided to snap them back to reality.

"Link," she said, getting their attention, "we must find a way to get to Zora's Domain."

"You're right," he agreed. He then turned back to Oreana. "I need to keep moving. Do you know how can I get there?"

Oreana looked at Link for a second and then she nodded.

"I know a path that'll take us there. There is an underwater cave that leads to an underground river. It's supposed to be used by the Zora to get from their realm to the lake and back again." She made a pause and then spoke again. "There is one catch, though: most of it is underwater, so I don't know how long can we hold our breaths."

"There must be a way we can get there without drowning," said Link.

"I think we're going to have to take the long way," said Laila. "Wasn't there a path to upper Zora's River from Hyrule Field, somewhere behind Hyrule Castle?"

"That'll take us too long!" replied Link.

"I agree with your fairy..." began Oreana.

"The name is Laila," interrupted Laila, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry," apologized Oreana with a smile, "I agree with Laila. Maybe it's too long of a detour, but it's the only way."

"Ok, then I'd better keep moving. I must go back up to where I left Epona and ride as fast as she can go."

"Let's go, Link!" urged Laila, fluttering towards the door.

"Wait a minute," intervened Oreana. "You're not thinking about going on your own, are you?" She had a smile and an expression of suspicion.

"Well..." said Link, not knowing what to say.

"We've been doing fine on our own," said Laila, not trying to hide her annoyance.

"No way you're leaving me behind," said Oreana. "Taglo said in his letter that I should take you to Zora's Domain and help you anyway I could, and that's what I plan to do. Just give me a moment to gear up." She then ran upstairs.

Laila dashed towards Link, making him step back slightly scared. She then unleashed her rage:

"Are you kidding me!" she snapped at him. "She'll only delay us!"

"She may be of some help," replied Link. "She actually has good fighting skills and..."

"And she's totally fallen for you," said Laila with scorn. "You can see it in the way she stares at you the whole time."

"Oh come on, that's ridiculous!" said Link with a smile. "She is a Sheikah!"

"That doesn't make her less girl," said Laila.

"She... wait a moment!" said Link, lowering his voice and suppressing a laugh. "You're jealous!" It wasn't a question.

"Speaking of ridiculousness..." said Laila, also lowering her voice. "I just..."

She stopped talking when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Link opened his eyes wide when he saw her: she was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with high neck, long matching dark blue pants that shaped her legs perfectly, a white iron chest plate with the emblem of the Sheikah painted in red; her formerly messy blonde hair was now carefully braided, she wore a pair of brown leather gloves and black leather boots and a small quiver hung from her brown leather belt. She was also wearing a white cloak and her crossbow was hanging on her back. Link couldn't help but think how good she looked. Laila dashed at Link and hit him in the head snapping him back to reality.

"Well, ready to go?" asked Oreana with a smile, clearly pleased with the way Link had been looking at her.

"Yes, yes..." stuttered Link. Laila hid in his hat again, hitting him again from within his hat. "Let's go." He thought he heard Laila muttered something that sounded like "Jerk".

They left the inn and walked through Lake Town in silence. Link looked up at the dark clowd twirling above and blocking the sunlight. When he looked down he thought he saw a shadow hiding behind a cottage in front of them. He motioned Oreana and they split in two different ways. He drew out his sword and shield as he saw Oreana as she gracefully wall-jumped onto the roof of a house.

He approached the cottage as silently as possible. When he was close enough he jumped forward and pointed his sword into the shadows, but there was nobody there.

"What the...?" He lowered his sword, turned around and felt the heavy weight of the Gerudo soldier when she jumped from the roof of the cottage and fell on top of him knocking him down.

"Stay on the ground!" yelled the Gerudo while pointing her scimitar at Link's throat.

"Link!" yelled Laila, coming fast out of Link's hat.

He was thinking how to get out of that situation when a bolt pierced the Gerudo's arm making her scream in pain and drop the scimitar. Oreana jumped from the roof and grabbed it and quickly pointed it at the female thief who was now crouching while holding her arm.

"Now YOU stay down," she said with a smirk. "You ok?" she added while smiling at Link.

"Funny, it's the second time that you ask me that today," he replied with a smile.

He got up while Oreana grabbed the Gerudo by the arm and dragged her inside the cottage. The whole exchange had ocurred in less than fifteen seconds, however there was already a group of curious people surrounding them. Link locked the door behind them and Oreana released the Gerudo and pointed her loaded crossbow at her while Laila fluttered around them.

"You will never defeat Lord Garoth," she said in a menacing voice. She was still holding her injured arm. "He holds the spirit of the King of Evil and hence he is..."

"A nuisance," interrupted Link. "I have a message for your people. Stay inside the Barrens or face the consequences."

Oreana stared at Link and raised an eyebrow. The Gerudo began laughing and both Link and Oreana looked at her intrigued. When she stopped she looked at Link with contempt and spoke again:

"And under whose authority do YOU, a mere boy, command that?"

Oreana and Link looked at each other and she nodded at him. He then raised his hand and the Triforce began glowing; the Gerudo recoiled when she saw it.

"It's the mark of the Goddesses!" she yelled.

Suddenly, there were loud knocks on the door and Oreana and Link turned around while Laila hid in his hat again. They heard loud voices outside and shouts commanding them to open the door. Link reached for his sword but Oreana grabbed his hand and pulled him along, while she jumped through a window intobthe water just when the door was forced open and a group of soldiers from the Royal Guard barged in.

Link felt as if his lungs were about to burst, and then they hit the surface again. He gasped for air while Oreana reached for the ledge where the staircase started. She pulled Link and they both sat there for a few second, panting and coughing.

"You could have warned me," said Link with difficulty.

"I'll keep that in mind next time I have to save our butts," she replied.

They both began laughing and Laila came out of Link's had, clearly unhappy of being soaked.

"As much as I enjoy the view, I really think we should keep moving," she said, as she began fluttering towards the stairs.

They simply nodded, stood up and followed her.

* * *

><p>"He's in Lake Town," said Captain Leoni. "He arrived there yesterday, as my sources inform."<p>

"I already knew," replied Garoth. "My own people has been sent to deal with him. Now leave!"

Captain Leoni bowed and left the throne room.

"You won't reach Zora's Domain... Hero," he murmured while looking through the window at the dark cloud twirling above the Lanayru Province. "I will see to that."

* * *

><p>Link climbed onto Epona's back and helped Oreana climb up behind him. She gripped his waist and Link urged Epona forward. She started a steady gallop and then dashed forward gaining speed.<p>

"We should try to pass as far away from Hyrule Castle as we can," said Oreana on Link's ear. "If they see us they may try to stop us."

"Agreed," said Link, and he whipped the reins and Epona shot forward towards the Castle.


	17. UPSTREAM

**A/N: Longest chapter so far. Link is now facing more and more trials along the way. Even now he jas to face the most dangerous of all... enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Garoth was on his knees and held his head in his hands trying to control the pain. He knew his master, the Evil King of Darkness, was growing more powerful as time went by; but Link, the meddlesome boy that he hadn't killed when he had the chance, was now disrupting their plans. He had already lifted the curse from the forest and cleared out the darkness that covered the whole Faron Province, and it seemed to be like he was now attempting to do the same in Lanayru.<p>

His master was becoming impatient, feeling how Link got closer every day to thwart him, so Garoth could feel his anger running through his whole body as if he was being pierced by many knives. Even for a specter like him it was too much to endure.

"We can't let this boy wreck everything I have been planning," echoed a dark voice around the room.

"Yes, my lord. I will stop him," said Garoth, still in pain.

"I don't need much more time before I can finally reveal myself, but I don't want to have to start all over again when I do."

"I understand, my lord."

The pain started to slowly fade away, and Garoth stood up again. He retrieved a necklace from within his armor and stared at the tiny golden triangle of light that was inside of the spherical diamond that hung at the end. He knew that he would never be able to wield it, as he hadn't been chosen by the Gods, but his master had promised that he would be able to work his power through it, greatly increasing it.

"I think the time to try this out will soon come," he thought.

* * *

><p>Link steered Epona to the left as Oreana shot another bolt, killing one more bokoblin. They had encountered a horde of them and had found themselves suddenly surrounded by them. He slashed his sword beheading another one and Oreana shot another bolt at a bulbin archer. Then, there was a sudden loud noise, like a roar of some kind. Link turned around and saw a big muscled moblin riding a giant boar and charging at them with a giant fork spear in hand pointing at them.<p>

"Knock him down!" yelled Link.

"I'm running out of bolts, Link!" yelled Oreana, while loading another projectile.

"Aim for the head!" replied Link.

Oreana shot the moblin, who was getting nearer even though Epona was galloping at full speed, but the movement of the gallop made her miss her aim and the bolt flew past the moblin's right arm, who shouted in rage and tossed the spear.

"Link, dodge!" yelled Oreana.

Link turned right and the spear sunk into the ground. Epona, scared of so much action, stopped in her tracks and tossed her two riders to the ground and dashed away. They rolled on the floor as the moblin drew a mace and swung it at them when he got to their position.

Link rolled on the floor out of reach, but Oreana received the impact on her chest, being sent flying several feet backwards. Link ran towards her but the moblin slammed his mace on the floor in front of him. Link made a back flip to avoid it and stringed an arrow in his bow and shot at the moblin's mount. The boar screeched when the arrow sunk into it's head and the moblin fell forward. Link took the chance, leaped into the air, twirled his sword in his hand and sunk it with both hands into the moblin's back. The creature screamed in agony and went still.

Link retrieved his sword and ran to Oreana, who was trying to get up.

"You ok?" he asked with a smile, while helping her to her feet. Oreana smiled at the joke and breathed heavily.

"Yes... about time for you to ask that," she replied.

"We must keep moving," said Link. He looked around and saw Epona way in the distance. "Let's get back to Epona. We still have a few hours riding before we reach the path to the river."

"We better go fast," replied Oreana. "We should try to get there before sunset."

Laila fluttered out of Link's hat and looked in the direction of the Castle.

"Uhm... guys, we better hurry," she said.

Link and Oreana also looked in the direction of the Castle and saw what she was looking at: the dark cloud twirling over the Castle had begun to grow, and thin wisps were now reaching for the Castle's towers.

* * *

><p>Zelda was looking at the dark wisps of cloud that were now surrounding the towers of Hyrule Castle.<p>

"It's getting worse," she murmured at Viacka, who was standing behind her.

"Do you think Link will be able to stop this on time, my lady?" asked the maid.

"We have to believe he will," replied Zelda.

* * *

><p>Link and Oreana reached the cavern when the sun was about to set down. They climbed from Epona and stared at the wide opening in the rocky wall: it was about 6 feet high and 10 feet wide, darkness as far as they could see and the strong current of the river came out of it, trailing all the way into the sewers of Castle Town.<p>

"We should wait until morning," said Laila.

"Agreed," replied Oreana.

"Let's set up a camp here and eat something," said Link.

They walked around and Link gathered some pieces of wood for the fire while Oreana, who had recovered some of her bolts from the dead bulbins and bokoblins that they had faced earlier, shot a pair of birds for them to cook. When she came back to the camp site, Link already had the fire going. He was talking with Laila about the plan to cross the path upstream.

"I didn't see any form of illumination inside," said Laila. "Maybe I should go in front so I can shed some light on you."

"What about the path itself?" asked Link. "Is there any walkway, ledges to climb or anything where we can set foot?"

"Barely. The current seems to be very strong as well, so I'd advise you to try not to fall."

Oreana sat next to Link and dropped the birds on the ground.

"Any news?" she asked smiling at Laila.

"I went to investigate and see what could we expect," she replied icily. "After all, we're on a mission to save Hyrule and not on a camping trip."

"Let's eat first," said Link, trying to divert tye conversation. "We'll then go to sleep. I'll take the first guard."

"No, I will," replied Oreana.

"None of you," snapped Laila. "I'm not that tired, so you sleep and I'll keep watch. If anything happens I'll wake Link up."

Link realized that it would be better not to argue, so they cooked the birds and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>Gerudo soldiers had managed to get into Zora's Domain upstream from Lake Town, having used one of the stolen boats from Lana and Dana's, and now one of the Zora guards was on the floor. Blue blood was dripping from his mouth where one of the Gerudo soldiers had hit him. Several other Zora were gathered around the hanging platform in the room, which served as atrium for the realm. A river was flowing underneath and through a cavern and a large circular stone hung from the ceiling in front of it. The stone was engraved with the emblem of the Zora's Royalty.<p>

"You fool..." said the Gerudo. "You shall do as I say or lord Garoth will destroy your beautiful realm."

"I... I can't..." he stuttered. "It is forbidden to shut the door to Zora's Domain. That would stop the flow of the river and..."

"And nobody would be able to get in," interrupted the Gerudo, "which is precisely what we want."

"I won't..." replied the Zora, lowering his head.

"Your way then..." said the Gerudo. She unsheathed her scimitar, raised it and cut the Zora's head. "Anybody else wishes to object?" she asked around, while a pool of blue blood formed under the dead guard.

The rest of the Zora surrounding the atrium were hugging each other and some of them were crying and whimpering, while others were in shock due to the murder they had witnessed. As nobody said a word, the Gerudo soldier sheathed her scimitar and made a signal to her mates. They then cut the ropes that held the circular stone, making it fall and blocking the exit cavern, only a slight opening was left at the top.

The flow of the river, having been blocked, was now unable to exit the realm, so it began flooding the atrium.

"Let's see how you handle this, boy," said the Gerudo soldier that had killed the Zora. She was rubbing her arm, where Oreana's bolt had pierced it.

* * *

><p>Link woke up thinking that he had awoken too early, then he remembered that the dark clouds didn't allow the sunlight to fully go through. He shook Oreana and she woke up startled, reaching for her crossbow.<p>

"Hey! It's me!" he said.

"Oh, sorry. Is it morning already?" she asked.

"You never know," replied Link looking to the sky. "The clouds seem to be thicker now, and there seems to be a dark fog now surrounding the Castle."

"Oh, you're awake!" said Laila, coming out from the cave. "Link, you better come take a look at this."

They followed the fairy inside a few meters and saw that the current had been thinned down to virtually nothing. Pointy and sharp rocks were seen along the way, where it had been covered by water.

"What happened to the river?" asked Oreana.

"It's gone!" said Link.

"Something must have happened up in Zora's Domain, where the source of the river lays," explained Laila. "Whatever it is, it must have happened overnight."

"I wonder if the thatriver branch that flows into Lake Hylia has been affected too," said Oreana.

"We will only know if we keep moving," said Laila.

They packed up their gear and headed into the cavern. Laila fluttered ahead of them, trying to cast as much light as possible. Link and Oreana were walking sideways through a steep and narrow ledge along the left side of the trail that had, until last night, been full of water. The sharp rocks below them made the idea of falling even more frightening than if it had been the river.

"Mind your step," said Link, who was ahead.

Oreana followed him, trying to step exactly where Link did. She was aware that not even her Sheikah abilities would be of much use if she fell. At some point, Laila illuminated some gaps, so Link and Oreana had faced the necessity to dangerously parkour across them.

"How long have we been going?" asked Link after a while.

"I don't know," replied Oreana, "maybe two hours?"

"Really?" said Link. "I was thinking more about three."

"Guys!" said Laila, calling their attention. "There is a large ledge ahead and a high steep wall that may have formerly been a waterfall. We can stop there so you can rest."

"Good idea," agreed Link.

"Yeah, I really need a break," added Oreana.

About two minutes later, they reached a large hollow space inside the cavern, hints of it having been a sort of underground lake. Lots of stalagmites, all pointy and sharp, were ready to welcome anyone who fell from the cliff, and not too far ahead was a large ledge at the bottom of a tall steep rocky wall. Oreana slipped a bit but held tight to the rocks.

"You ok?" asked Link.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.

They jumped into the large ledge and panted for a few seconds. Link then looked up and saw the thin thread of water coming down from above. It looked like if the source of the river had been blocked. He said so.

"But how or why would the Zora block the river?" asked Laila.

"Oh, I'm not sure it was the Zora," said Oreana.

"Oh, and exactly HOW would you know?" asked Laila, clearly annoyed of having been contradicted by her less favourite person they had met so far.

"Simple," said Oreana. "They can only do so by royal order, and their queen is dead and the prince is too young to say a word."

Link stared at Laila, who was about to retort, and changed the subject immediately:

"We're going to have some trouble with this wall," he pointed as he touched it, "as it is still slippery for having had the current flowing through it for so long."

"If I'm not mistaken, Upper Zora's River is just about a mile away in that direction," said Oreana. "That is where the river breaks into Lower Zora's River, leading into Lake Hylia, and this branch."

"What about the Rope of Faron?" asked Laila. "Can you use it to climb?"

"I don't think so," replied Link. "I've been examining it and I'm guessing it doesn't measure more than 1000 feet, and I don't know how tall this wall is. Besides, I don't even know if there is a grappling point above."

"I think we're going to have to do it the hard way.

They rested for a few minutes and then they started the delicate ascent by climbing the wall. It had many protruding rocks that served them to hold on and keep climbing, but it was very slippery and they knew that one false step could mean falling to a certain death.

Trouble came at about 2000 feet from the ground, and they only had about 500 more feet of climbing left, Laila fluttered as high as she could go without leaving Link and Oreana, who were climbing side by side, in the dark and they all saw the thick stalactites that hung from the rocky ceiling. Laila's glow disturbed a small group of keeses that had been resting on the opposite wall, curiously observing the climbers. They dropped from the wall, screeching and squealing, annoyed by the bright light that came from the fairy's body, flew straight towards Oreana.

She screamed and pressed herself against the wall, but the bats kept fluttering insanely around her. She lost her grip and fell screaming.

"Oreana!" yelled Link, and he reached for her hand, strongly gripping her wrist.

"Link!" said Oreana.

"Hold on!" he replied, but he also lost his grip and they both plundered into the abyss.

Link reacted fast, wrapped Oreana around the waist with his arm and, reached for the Rope of Faron in his satchel and shot at one of the stalactites above. They slammed against the wall when the rope wrapped itself and they looked down: still darkness.

Link pulled the rope and it reeled itself fast, hauling them both upwards at high speed. When they reached the top, it unwrapped again and they both fell on the slippery and muddy ground, Link on his back and Oreana on top facing him.

They lay there for a few seconds, panting in relief, and then they realized how they were. They stared at each other eyes and Oreana smiled and Link returned the smile. That was too much for Laila, who dashed at them fluttering furiously around their heads.

"Ok! Break up guys! We need to keep moving!" she snapped at them. Link and Oreana got up quickly and laughed nervously.

"Well, that was a close one," said Oreana. "Fast thinking, Link!"

"Let's keep moving," said Link, still feeling a bit awkward.

Laila fluttered ahead, lighting the way. Link gave one step forward and Oreana took his hand stopping him. She then gave him a small peck on the cheek and whispered "thank you" before moving on.

* * *

><p>Taglo arrived at the top of the stairs that led to Lake Hylia. He twisted his head both ways to see if there were any enemies around him. It made him uncomfortable not having half of his field of view anymore, since he had lost his right eye during the attack on Kakariko Village, and now we was wearing a black leather patch covering it.<p>

He tied his horse to the rail and went downstairs. He had received Oreana's message, where she told him she was going with Link into Zora's Domain, and now he had decided to wait for Link to return. He could only hope that the Zora trusted Link enough to allow him pass into the sanctuary.


	18. ZORA'S DOMAIN BESIEGED

**A/N: Chapters are getting longer! I hope you like this one. Things are starting to get really nasty for Link again. R&R!**

* * *

><p>"I think I can see some light ahead," said Link, pointing forward.<p>

"Come on! Let's go!" urged them Laila.

The floor was still slippery and muddy, but they managed to sprint towards the opening, which was about fifty meters ahead of them. Laila exited first, followed closely by Link and Oreana. The sky was darkened by the black shroud of darkness that covered the Lanayru Province, and the only light came from a pair of lit lamp posts. They verified their theory that they had been walking through the path that the river had followed. Now, they were standing in the middle of a three-way crossroad. Oreana stood in the middle and pointed ahead, where the path was wider and steeper.

"Ok, this is the main source of the river, Upper Zora's River, which flows directly from Zora's Domain," she explained; then she turned and pointed at the third arm, the one that went the other way from where they had come. "This is Lower Zora's River, and it flows into Lake Hylia."

"It's all dried up," said Laila.

"There is a small cottage over there," said Link, pointing at it. The cottage was right next to the entrance that led to Zora's Domain and you could see light through the windows. "Should we try stopping by? Maybe they know what happened."

The other two agreed, so Link and Oreana climbed into the ledge and they walked towards the cottage. Oreana readied her crossbow, just in case, and Link knocked three times. After a few seconds, the door swung open fast, and a middle-aged woman stood in the doorway holding a rusty sword. She had an expression of rage and her brown hair was tied up in a tight bun. She was wearing a dirty patched dress and a stained apron. She lunged at Link and he rolled sideways to dodge her and drew out his own sword.

"Stop!" yelled Oreana. "Lana, don't, he's a friend!"

The woman looked at Oreana examining her for a few seconds before recognizing her. Link was in a defensive stance, looking at them both.

"Oreana?" said the woman. "Girl, but look at you! Sorry for the reception but I swear I thought you were Gerudo.

"Lana what happened to you? Where's Dana? We've been worried about you down in Lake Town!" said Oreana. Link realized there was no more danger and sheathed his sword.

"It's a long story, let's get inside," replied Lana, and they all entered the cottage. "Tell me, who's your handsome friend?" she asked with a wink.

"His name is Link," she introduced him. "Link, this is Lana."

"Nice to meet you, Link," she said, smiling as they shook hands.

"Lana, where is Dana?" asked Oreana again.

"She's in hiding. She went last week to Kakariko Village to take refuge while I moved into this cottage."

Link and Oreana exchanged grim looks, which Lana noticed. She stared at them in silence and then asked:

"Is... is there something wrong?" She had changed her smile into an expression of fear.

"Lana," began Oreana walking towards her. "Kakariko Village has been devastated."

"There were barely any survivors," added Link. "I'm sorry."

Lana slumped into a chair and held her face while tears began to flow. Oreana put her right hand in Lana's shoulder while Link turned around, not knowing what to say.

"When did... it happen?" asked Lana, when she managed to calm down her sobbing.

"The day before yesterday," replied Link. "Apparently there's some sort of dragon living in the mountain. The town was raided by bokoblins and dinolfos, and then the dragon swooped down and finished the job. There's barely anything left."

"Were... were you there?" asked Lana.

"No... I got there after it had all ended." He doubted for a few seconds and then added: "I helped to clean up a bit though, and recover the dead. Took us nearly a day but..."

"I think that's enough..." interrupted him Oreana. Lana had gone blank and had an empty stare.

"Sorry," apologized Link.

Oreana crouched and looked at Lana, trying to get her attention.

"Lana, we're sorry about all this, but we must get to Zora's Domain. We..." she looked at Link, who warned her silently, and then continued, "we believe we can find out what is going on from there. It all seems to be related. The problem is that the water has stopped flowing from the river and we don't know why. Can you help us?"

Lana didn't reply immediately, but merely stared at the wall. After about a minute, during which Laila was about to go insane by her impatience, Lana stood up and walked to a chest in the corner.

"A band of Gerudo crossed into Zora's Domain overnight," she said while she opened the chest and started rummaging inside. "They were talking about avoiding people from getting in, so I'm guessing that they blocked the entrance." She found what she was looking for and stood up, holding a long wooden box. She opened it and revealed its contents to Link.

"Are these...?" he began asking, not being able to contain his surprise.

"Explosive Arrows," said Lana. "I only have five of these. A friend of mine from Castle Town manufactures them, so you may be able to get more from him if you stop by his shop."

"Thank you Lana, we will make good use of them," said Oreana.

"You should go now," said Lana. "Now I never know if it's day or night, but I'm guessing it's still before sundown."

"Thanks again," said Link, and they exited the cottage.

"That was painful," said Laila when they were out of earshot.

"Let's move on," said Oreana, as she tied up the box to her back.

They climbed down into the riverbank again and began walking upwards into Zora's Domain.

* * *

><p>"They're getting close, my Lady," said one of the Gerudo soldiers to her newly appointed leader, the same that had previously beheaded the Zora guard that had refused to close the door.<p>

"Let them get close enough," she replied. "If they manage to get through, I will dispose of them." She caressed her scimitar and looked at the warm pond at her feet: Prince Rido's incubation chamber. She looked at the small tadpole swimming inside and turned around to leave the room.

* * *

><p>"Mystery solved," said Oreana, looking at the large rock in front of them. It had the emblem of the Zora Royalty engraved into it and it covered almost the entire mouth of the cavern, save for a small gap at the top through which a thin thread of water was flowing. "Now we know why the river is all dried up."<p>

"I think we can climb up and get through that gap," said Link, taking out the Rope of Faron. "We shouldn't try breaking it just yet, or the water will sweep us down and kill us."

"Link," said Laila, "what about if you grapple into one of the stalactites above and then blow up the rock? The current will flow again and you may get soaked to the bones, but at least it won't drag you away."

"That's a good idea, Link," said Oreana. "Let's just hold on with the Rope of Faron and I can shoot one of the explosive arrows to destroy the rock."

"Ok," agreed Link, "but let's go a bit backwards. We're too close and the blast may kill us both if we shoot from here."

They walked about fifty feet back into the tunnel and Link pulled out the Rope of Faron. Oreana took his bow and Link shot at one of the stalactites above. They held tight as the rope reeled itself taking them towards the ceiling and Oreana aimed an explosive arrow while Link held her with his arm around her waist. When she released the string, she held tight as the arrow flew towards the end of the tunnel and hit the rock that blocked the entrance to Zora's Domain.

The sound of the blast shook the whole cavern, as the rock was shattered into pebbles and the water began flowing loudly through the cave. They held each other with all their strength and closed their eyes, while the current slammed them and then slowly started to lower into its bank again. They hung there for about one minute, until the flow of the water returned to normal. Soaked to the core of their souls, they slowly opened their eyes and looked at the entrance of Zora's Domain, once more open, and the crystalline flow of the river beneath them.

* * *

><p>"What in the world was that!?" yelled the Gerudo leader. She exited the incubation room and looked into the atrium. The water level had returned to normal, and the giant stone had been destroyed. Dust was still floating in the air and many Gerudo were running back and forth.<p>

"He's here!" yelled one of the soldiers, approaching her.

"I can see that! All of you, to the atrium! He must not get in!" She then turned around and went looking for her weapons.

* * *

><p>Taglo was sitting in a bar in Lake Town when he managed to overhear a group of soldiers of the Royal Guard talking:<p>

"So, what is Lord Garoth going to do?" asked one of them.

"He is sending some Gerudo soldiers to Zora's Domain," replied another. "That pair seems to be getting to close, so they're preparing an ambush."

"Do you think they will be able to stop him?" asked a third one. "Rumors have already been spreading, that he is a sort of emissary of the Gods."

"Nonsense!" replied a fourth soldier, who seemed to be high in drinks. "The only God is the Lord of Darkness. People should stop believing in old legends of heroes and fairies. There is no such thing."

Taglo stood up, paid for his drink and left the bar. He knew he was running short on time, but maybe he could get there faster if he used one of the old Sheikah spells that he had been taught. He knew it was old magic, and no Sheikah had attempted to use it since the old days, but he guessed he had no other choice. He hid behind an abandoned battered house and took out from his pouch a small crystal with a green orb. He hung it from his neck with a string and took a deep breath, placed his hands in front of him like if cupping something and waited.

A feint green light began to appear between his hands. When it started giving an intense glow he raised it above his head and thought of Zora's Domain. The light orb began glowing intensely, and he was gone.

* * *

><p>Link and Oreana slowly approached the entrance of Zora's Domain, Link holding up his bow with an arrow ready and Oreana aiming her crossbow. Laila was fluttering ahead of them, into the fully illuminated atrium. They stepped inside and an arrow flew past Link hitting the wall. He aimed his bow to where the arrow had come from and shot. The Gerudo soldier screamed in pain as the arrow pierced her chest and fell down from the cliff where she had been standing.<p>

Taking it as a cue, a group of Gerudo soldiers, armed with scimitars and spears, came running into the atrium while Oreana disposed of two more archers. Link shot one of the runners and tossed his bow aside, withdrew his sword and raised his shield and began fighting off a Gerudo soldier. Laila fluttered back and forth, pointing Link towards each target so that he wasn't taken by surprise; but they were soon surrounded and, even though Link used again the same technique that he had used back at the inn, there were still about ten more Gerudo to fight off.

Link heard Oreana scream in pain, when a Gerudo scratched her leg with her scimitar. He ran towards her and shot at a Gerudo archer above. He tried to cover her but realized that there were too many of them.

"Link, go!" said Oreana trying to stay on her feet.

"I won't leave you!" he replied, while the Gerudo began forming a circle around them.

Then, there was a flash of green light, and a green shiny orb appeared a few feet above the ground. Taglo appeared from it and he unsheathed two swords that were hung to his back, and lunged towards the Gerudo. Link helped him, while Oreana kept shooting with her crossbow, until the atrium had been finally cleared. The three of them looked at each other and Taglo sheathed his swords again and walked towards Link.

"Perfect timing, my friend," said Link. "What in the world was that?"

"It's called Farore's Wind, and ancient technique passed down by the Sheikah. The legend says that it was the Hero of Time himself who first taught the Sheikah how to use it," replied Taglo. "Are you guys ok?"

"Oreana is hurt," said Link, walking up to her.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch!" she replied.

"I'm ok, though!" said Laila, fluttering back towards Link.

They all froze in place when they hear the soft chuckle. They looked around the room trying to find the source but weren't able to find it.

"You all have great skills, for being so young…" said a female voice, in an almost seductive way. "Too bad you have to die today."

"Who's there?" asked Link, raising his sword and shield. Taglo drew out his swords as well.

"Do you think you can take me on?" asked the voice. "You caught me off guard before, but now I… have… you…"

"Link, look out!" yelled Laila, fluttering away. He followed her with his eyes and raised his shield in time to block the heavy blow of a large scimitar. The Gerudo soldier jumped backwards and Taglo lunged at her, but she swung one of her scimitars and sent him flying. He landed with a loud thud next to Oreana, who recognized the attacked.

"It's her!" she yelled at Link. "The one from the lake!"

"You fools!" she snapped and, as she tossed a flash pellet in front of her, a ring of fire appeared in the middle of the atrium surrounding her and Link, leaving Oreana and Taglo outside.

Oreana reached for her crossbow but then realized that she was out of bolts. Taglo tried to jump over the flames, but they grew higher and he was cast backwards with his cloak in flames. He took it off and tossed it aside.

"You won't be able to defeat me this time," said the Gerudo with a deep smile. "I'm Yaboora, one of the Gerudo Leaders and new regent of Zora's Domain."

Link raised his shield and blocked another attack from Yaboora, and then he slashed with his own sword barely missing her. Yaboora jumped backwards and slashed at him again. He felt as one of the blades made a cut in his arm and he screamed in pain, as Yaboora laughed and kicked him sending him flying about a foot backwards.

Link stood up, held his sword horizontally and ran towards Yaboora, who made a somersault above Link and landed behind him, she had taken the bait. Link unleashed all of his energy by twirling in circles with his sword outstretched. Yaboora felt the blade cutting her back and screamed in pain. She then rolled on the ground and held her scimitars high and jumped while twirling them in her hands. Link rolled sideways just in time, as Yaboora's blades sunk into the ground. He took the chance and slammed his shield against her. She tripped backwards and released the scimitars, and Link stepped forward and pointed his sword at her throat. The fight was over.

Yaboora panted and stared at Link from the floor as the ring of fire disappeared, she could see the Triforce glowing in his hand (_"he really is an emissary from the gods,"_ she thought), and she knew that she wouldn't be able to defeat him even if she tried.

"Give up," he said. "We're relieving Zora's Domain from the siege you had upon it."

"You defeated me, but you will never defeat Lord Garoth, or his master…" she said.

"Who is his master?" asked Taglo, approaching them.

"The one chosen by the Gods and our true King of Darkness," she replied. "You may know already who he is…"

"Who is he?" asked Link.

"His name… his name is…" Yaboora's eyes suddenly rolled back into her head and she began choking, like if invisible fingers were squeezing her throat. After a few seconds, she lay still lifeless.

Link, Oreana and Taglo looked at each other in silence; then Laila caught their attention.

"Hum, Link?" she said. "We should find the Zora and rescue them. They must be locked somewhere around here."

They nodded and ran in different ways, searching for the captured inhabitants of the realm.


	19. INTO NEW DEPTHS

**A/N: How in the world is it that I'm being able to write longer chapters now? o.o I've always had to crack my head to write more than 2k words, and now... 3178 words! (not counting A/N). Well I hope you enjoy this one too. Thanks for _Ayako Zetra_ (and _Joystick Gamer_! I know you're there too and won't forget about you :D) and _Frozen789_ for their continuous support!**

* * *

><p>Garoth opened his eyes as his mind returned to him. He had just killed Yaboora, his most loyal leader, and now was enraged for having lost control of Zora's Domain.<p>

"He's getting too close," said his Master's voice, echoing around the room.

"I know… I'm sorry my Lord…" replied Garoth, falling on his knees.

"I need more time before I can reveal myself… don't let him go any further…"

"He won't be able to defeat Leviath…" said Garoth. "He will crush him and grind him to little pieces if he tries to go through the Water Sanctuary."

"You must reinforce the security in the Forsaken Fortress as well," said the dark voice. "If he breaks the curse there, if he releases the Spirit of Eldin and it returns to his shrine in the Eldin Province, then the curse will be lifted and I will have to start all over again…"

"I know, my Lord. He will never cross the Barrens and live to tell the tale," said Garoth, and he felt the presence of his Master fade again.

* * *

><p>Link, Oreana and Taglo were surrounded by the grateful Zora's Domain inhabitants. They had just finished releasing them from their cells and were being cheered. They had finally been able to glance at the details of the atrium: its beautifully crafted archways, crystalline fountains, coral formations and tall torches of blue fire that illuminated the room with a soft glow. They spent the next minutes walking amongst the Zora people and checking if everyone was OK, until they heard a voice speaking from a ledge above of them.<p>

"Silence, please!" it shouted. They all fell silent and looked towards the balcony. An elderly Zora was standing there, with a large cane serving as support. "Let the Hero come forth and climb up here," he said, and then walked through a door behind him.

"Go on, Link," urged them Oreana, pushing him playfully while Taglo nodded at him.

"Let's go, Link," said Laila, and she fluttered ahead while Link followed her.

They went through an archway into a tunnel and up a staircase. The path was fully illuminated by torches lit with the same blue fire that illuminated the atrium. They reached the top of the stairs and entered a room, carefully adorned, with a beautifully crafted throne in the farthest side. Link noticed that the whole floor was flooded with about two inches of water. The elderly Zora was standing by the throne, his back turned at Link, observing the coral-crafted chair.

Link approached him in silence and stood by him, looking at the throne. The Zora then spoke up in a soft dreamy voice:

"I wish we could bring our queen back to us…" he said.

"How… how did she die?" asked Link.

"We… we don't know…" replied the Zora. "One day she went with her escort down to Lake Town, and there was a sudden storm. Black clouds surrounded the lake and a whirlpool formed in the middle of it." He made a pause and looked at Link before continuing. "A shadow of sorts, more like a specter, dashed at her and she was tossed into the water, and the current dragged her underwater. Her escort tried to follow her but they were all found dead afterwards."

"And what about her?"

"We never found her… but there had been rumors about a dark monster living in the depths of the lake, so the conclusion is obvious."

"You're telling me, that you abandoned your queen without even trying to find her?"

The elderly Zora looked at him in rage. Link recoiled a bit as he said in a loud voice:

"We DID try to find her! And lost more soldiers! Something is lurking in the Sanctuary and we can't even find a way to pray to our protector, the Spirit of Lanayru, since we've had to block the entrance. There is a curse cast upon the place, and nobody has been able to get even near it… not that there have been too many volunteers."

Link looked at the Zora while he walked towards the balcony. He knew exactly what he had to do now.

"I will do it," said Link. "Just let me know how I can get in."

"Are you sure?" asked the Zora, turning around and looking at Link calmly. "The entrance of the Water Sanctuary is all the way down into the bottom of the lake. No outsider has ever been there."

"That's why I came," said Link. "I'm trying to dispel the curses that have been cast upon the land of Hyrule and its many temples. I need you to please help me get inside."

The Zora just looked at him and then smiled. He closed his eyes and then asked Link to follow him. He pushed a stone that was next to the throne, and it began moving forward. Link then saw a gap under it that led into a tunnel full of water.

"If you want to prove yourself worthy of entering the Sanctuary, then you have to endure one last trial," said the Zora. "Go through this tunnel, dive as fast as you can and reach the other end. If you manage to go through, you can keep what you'll find at the end. Only then will you be able to get into the Sanctuary."

Link nodded and, without a doubt, he dived into the tunnel.

* * *

><p>Zelda could feel the Castle changing. The dark clouds and fog that now surrounded it where somehow re-shaping the place. She could barely see anything through the window anymore, and the Triforce was glowing more than usual in her hand (now it just didn't stop).<p>

"Something is happening," she told Viacka.

"My Lady, what's going on?"

"A great evil is taking possession of the whole Castle. I can feel something terrible is about to happen."

Zelda looked at the Triforce in her hand and closed her eyes.

"Hurry up, Link," she said to herself.

* * *

><p>Link felt that his lungs were about to burst. He kept swimming as fast as he could, but he was sure that he wouldn't be able to hold his breath much longer. His eyes were throbbing and his head felt like if it was going to split in half. He could feel how he was about to lose consciousness and he tried hard to stay awake. Finally, he was able to see some light ahead, so he kicked as hard as he could and noticed how the tunnel began going upwards.<p>

He couldn't help it. He felt the unbearable urge and took a deep breath. He felt his lungs burn as he swallowed some water and then his head broke the surface. He crawled coughing and panting and he spewed some water into the floor. He then fell face down on the floor and fainted.

* * *

><p>"He came from the forest," said Captain Leoni. "I now remember that the kid sold me the sword that you now wield, my Lord."<p>

"So… he may have family and friends down there, could he?" asked Garoth. "Maybe father, mother… siblings… a girl?"

"We have sent a squad to investigate. They will find anyone that he may value and bring them over to the Castle."

"Good," said Garoth with an evil smile. "We can't harm the Princess, because my Master commands. But we can threaten to harm his people if he doesn't comply."

* * *

><p><em>"Link… Link…"<em>

"Hmm?" murmured Link, consciousness finally coming back to him.

_"Link! Wake up, Link!"_

Link coughed again and flipped onto his back. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Laila fluttering furiously around him and calling his name.

"Oh, Link! Finally!" she said fluttering in front of his face. "Boy, you were scaring me!"

Link smiled and he slowly sat up.

"W… where are we?" he asked groggily.

"You tell me," replied Laila. "It seems to be a sort of underground grotto. Are you ok?"

"Yes… I think so." He tried to get on to his feet but his legs felt like jelly. "How long have I been lying there?"

"I don't know," she replied. "About five to ten minutes, maybe?"

Link assessed his surroundings. The grotto was illuminated by a single lamp above the entrance of the underwater tunnel. It has ignited with the same blue fire that he had seen around Zora's Domain. On the farthest wall, there was a chest, entirely crafted in coral and stone, with an inscription plate crafted directly onto the rocky wall above. He approached it ant tried to read it, but it was written in a script that he couldn't recognize.

"It's Zora writing," explained Laila. "I don't know how to read it."

Link opened the chest and looked into it, then looked at Laila and reached inside. He pulled out a dark blue tunic. It seemed to Link that the cloth was more like scales instead of fabric, and its neck was way taller than the usual. Also, inside of the chest, there was a long hat, similar but longer than Link's, of a matching dark blue color. Finally, beneath the headwear, there was a diadem with a sapphire embedded to it, shaped in the form of the emblem of the Zora's Royalty.

"Link…" said Laila. "It's… it's…"

"It's what?" asked Link.

"The Zora Armor!" she yelled in excitement and examined it. "Link, it is said that this was worn once by the Hero of the Zora, and it confers the wearer the ability to breath underwater. You should be able to dive to the bottom of the lake and enter the Sanctuary!"

Link looked at the prize he had just found and immediately pulled out his green robes, stored them in his satchel, and tried on the tunic. He could feel as if it had been adhered to his skin, and the high neck of the tunic served as a mask that covered his mouth and nose. He put on the headwear and the diadem, and without thinking, he jumped back into the tunnel.

"Link, wait!" yelled Laila, but he was already underwater. "Oh, show off…" she murmured annoyed and dived after him.

Link now felt stronger underwater. He kicked and felt how he was propelled forward faster than before. He took a deep breath and felt the air enter his lungs without a trace of water or even a hint of moisture. He reached the end of the tunnel faster than before and climbed out in front of the smiling Zora elder who was still waiting for him. Laila came out of the water and fluttered towards Link.

"You have passed the test. Now I can show you the way to the Sanctuary," said the elder. "Come, follow me."

Link followed the Zora through the staircase back into the atrium. When he came into the large room, he noticed how everyone stared at him, eyes full of surprise and admiration. There was some movement and Taglo and Oreana came out from the crowd of surprised Zora. Oreana opened her eyes wide when she saw him: Link really looked elegant and heroic, as the Zora Armor had a soft iridescent shine when the light of the blue torches reflected on it.

"L… Link! Wow!" she said, coming forward to look at him closer. "You look really handsome, Link!" she added. Laila glared at her.

"Nice shiny armor, pal!" said Taglo.

"My dear friends!" called the elder. "We have been sent new hope from the Gods! I present you the Hero of the Zora!"

Every Zora in the atrium began cheering. Link felt flustered and looked around until everyone else fell silent.

"I must head to the Water Sanctuary," he said to Taglo and Oreana.

"There is a path, only used by us," added the elder. "Follow me and I'll lead you there."

Link looked at Taglo, who nodded at him. Oreana hugged Link, taking him by surprise.

"Go," she said. "It's your destiny. I already did what I could, but I will wait for you in Lake Town." She then gave Link a peck on the cheek and winked an eye at him before releasing him.

"Ok, Let's go!" snapped Laila, suddenly angered by Oreana's gesture. "Let's not waste any more time, Link!"

Link turned away and followed the elder. To his surprise, he jumped from the atrium platform into the water source beneath. Laila hid in Link's hat and he dived after him and felt relief in being able to breathe underwater. He followed the elder deeper into the water, and then stopped by a circular opening. He waited for Link and then smiled. It then shocked him to hear the elder's voice in his head.

_"This is it. Go through this tunnel and you will reach Lake Hylia. If you keep swimming downwards you will find the entrance to the Sanctuary."_

_"How can I open the door?" _thought Link. _"You told me it had been sealed."_

_"It will open itself for you,"_ replied the elder in Link's mind.

They nodded at each other and the elder started to swim away. Link then remembered something and, as if he knew, the elder turned around.

_"How… how is it that I can hear you?"_ asked Link.

_"You wear the gem of the Water Sage in your diadem. It allows you to hear what we think, and us to hear your thoughts."_

Link nodded and the elder left him. He then turned to look at the opening and entered it, swimming faster than he had ever been able to.

* * *

><p>Tara was brushing her family's horse. The sun was about to set down, as she could see up in the recently cleared skies, and she had been tending the farm instead of her father, who was still recovering from the attack a few days before. When she finished, she put the horse back in the stable and started walking down the path that led her back home. She walked absentmindedly, not paying attention to the children that were still playing outside, or their mothers calling them for dinner. She didn't even pay attention to the Royal Guards that were coming out of the forest, riding horses and carrying spears, until she was about fifteen feet away from them.<p>

"You there, girl!" said the leader. "Where does the blacksmith live?"

"The… the blacksmith?" asked Tara scared. "You mean Mr. Regol? He… why?"

"Just answer the question!" shouted the soldier.

"What's going on here?" asked Mr. Durian, Tara's father, coming out of the house. He was using a pair of crutches for support. "How can I help you gentlemen?"

The leader climbed down from his horse and Tara ran to her father. She held him tightly while the guard walked up to them.

"Are you the blacksmith?" he asked.

"No," answered Mr. Durian. "I'm the owner of Faron Goods. I'm just a merchant."

"We need to find the blacksmith. It's about his assistant," explained the leader.

"Link!" yelled Tara, her eyes filled with tears. "What happened to…" she fell silent when she noticed the twitch in the leader's mouth, like an attempt of mocking smile.

"Him… so you know him?" asked the leader.

"He's not here," said Mr. Durian. "Link is away and Mr. Regol left town yesterday, but we don't know where to or for how long."

"What's going on here?" asked Mr. Rondel, Link's father. He had been watching the exchange in silence until he heard Link's name.

"And who are you?" asked the leader, now starting to get annoyed.

"I'm Link's fa…" Mr. Durian shot a look at him and he fell silent, but it was too late.

"Much better," said the leader. "I have a message for Link's family, courtesy of our Lord Garoth." He approached Mr. Regol, withdrew his sword and stabbed Mr. Rondel in the chest.

A group of curious people had started to gather around them, and now they started to scream. Children began to cry and Tara let out tears of anguish and Mr. Durian held her close. She sobbed hard as they all saw Mr. Rondel fall on the ground motionless, and the leader of the soldiers sheath back his sword. Mr. Durian was trying to contain himself, in view of the cold-blooded murder that almost the whole town had just witnessed.

"Let this be a warning to your dear boy Link," said the leader. "Either he stops messing up with lord Garoth's plans, or his father won't be the last to die." He then turned to the guards that were with him. "Take the girl!" they commanded.

Tara screamed in fear as the soldiers approached. Mr. Durian tried to block the guards, but they pushed the cripple aside and held Tara by the arms, lifting her up and dragging her to one of the horses. The door of her house then slammed open, and Nico, her youngest brother, barely 10 years old, came out of the house holding a small wooden shield in one hand and a kitchen knife in the other. The soldiers looked at him and started laughing.

"Nico, no! Get inside!" yelled Tara.

"You've got nerves, kid," said the leader with a chuckle. "You could be a fine soldier to lord Garoth one day, so I will let you live." He climbed up to his horse, while Tara was held up and lifted into another, hands tied up, and another guard sat behind her holding her in place.

"If Link comes back, he'll know where to find her." He then turned to his soldiers. "To the Castle!" he shouted, and they all galloped back into the forest.

* * *

><p>Link exited the tunnel and was surprised to see that he was now swimming under the water of the lake. According to his calculations, he might easily be about 20 feet underwater. He realized that he was able to see perfectly, instead of the usual blurriness that he felt when he dived without the Zora Armor. Everything seemed so peaceful, but he knew that he had no time to sightseeing. As he dived deeper into the lake, he realized that, despite the long journey into Zora's Domain, the intense fighting and all of the swimming, or the fact that it may be already after sundown, he wasn't tired at all.<p>

_"It seems like the armor enhances my stamina as well," _thought Link.

He kept swimming for a few more minutes, and then he saw it. Ruins of pillars and the façade of what may have once been the beautiful entrance to the Water Sanctuary; it now lay covered in a thick layer of algae and crumbling stones.

_"Here I go then…"_ thought Link, and he dashed further into the deep lake bed.


	20. WATER SANCTUARY – PART I

**A/N: finally into the next dungeon! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Joy, the Kokiri priestess of Faron, was on her knees by the shrine of the Spirit of Faron. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. As priestess of the forest, she was extremely sensitive to what happened in the Faron Woods so, eventually, she had great sorrow in her heart, due to the sadness that flowed from the small village not far from there, which she knew was Link's hometown.<p>

Both she and Faron had tried hard to avoid the tragedy that had occurred, but their efforts were futile. Even though the curse of the forest had been lifted, the other spirits were still powerless and there was still too much darkness in the world for them to intervene.

She simply resigned herself to lower her head and pray for Link's father, and that the Gods gave Link enough strength to overcome his loss when he finally found out.

* * *

><p>Link reached the bottom of the lake and looked at the rocky façade of the underwater Sanctuary. He tried going for the entrance, but he found a large rock blocking the way.<p>

"There must be a way to move or destroy this rock," thought Link.

Laila fluttered towards the rock and then she began twirling in her place. Link noticed that he was also capable of hearing her thoughts:

"Link, look at this!"

"What is it?" asked Link, swimming towards her. She was pointing at a circule that was carved into the rock, and a vertical slit was cut in the middle of it. "Is that a lock?" asked Link.

"There is an inscription below," she replied.

Link dived a bit more and read the writing carved into the rock:

"May this rock, set upon the entrance of this hallowed Sanctuary keep the Darkness from spreading into the world. Thou who art worthy of the title of Hero, only thou shalt be able to cross the threshold of Darkness and enter."

"Link, how did you...?" asked Laila's voice in Link's mind.

"What?" asked Link, looking up at Laila.

"You just read Zora script!"

"I guess... I guess that it must have something to do with the Zora Armor abilities."

"Well, anyways, how are you going to get inside?"

Link looked at the 'lock' carved into the rock. It was about as wide as...

"My sword!" thought Link. He unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him. Slowly, he inserted the blade into the slit up to the hilt. The Triforce started to glow in his hand while he sunk the sword into the rock.

There was a flash of light when the hilt touched the rock. The emblem of the Zora Royalty began to form in thin lines of light surrounding the lock and Link recoiled, pulling out the sword, when the rock began to crack along the bright lines.

Link watched as the boulder crumbled into pieces and then turned to dust, leaving an opening behind it which was adorned by an ornamented archway: the door of the Sanctuary.

Both Link and Laila stared at the door and then looked at each other. They nodded in silence and Link entered the Sanctuary, with Laila following him closely.

* * *

><p>"How long have we been going?" asked Link. He had been swimming through the tunnel for a while now.<p>

"I don't think there's too much left to this path," replied Laila's voice in his mind.

She was right, as Link was soon able to see light ahead. He kicked harder and dashed forward until he reached a small pond and he finally surfaced. He climbed out of the water and gazed at the Sanctuary interiors.

The pond where he had surfaced was located in the middle of a sort of circular atrium. There was a single door in front of him, which was locked by a rusty padlock. Two more doors led to rooms both on his left and right. Behind him, there was a large gold and silver door, adorned with coral and Zora script. It had a single lock in the middle, made of pure gold.

The whole room itself was lit by blue fire torches, and seemed to be, as he had seen in the Forest Temple, as abandoned as if nobody had been there in decades. A cold shiver ran through his skin.

Link had never been to that place before, so he didn't know where to start this time. He lowered the mask of his armor and was finally relieved of being able to speak again.

"Ok," he said. "What should I do now?"

"Well, maybe you should start with finding a map of this place," replied Laila. "I hate this place already! The dampness and smell of fish is getting on my nerves."

Link looked at the two doors that weren't locked, and he picked the one to his right. He walked up to it and opened it. He had just crossed the threshold when he felt his skin on fire. He fell on the ground on his knees, closed his eyes and held his head screaming in pain. He could hear Laila calling him, her voice slowly fading away. He already knew what had happened before he opened his eyes. As the feeling started to pass, he gazed around at the dark room surrounding him. Shadows crept along the walls and specter-like creatures roamed around the room.

_"Great…"_ thought Link with sarcasm. He looked around trying to find a mirror so he could return to normal but there was none. Right ahead, there was a dark wooden door. He walked up to it and opened it.

The room behind had no visible exit. It was entirely circular and the only thing he was able to see was a mirror stuck to the opposite wall. He walked up to it and stared at his dark reflection, touched the glass and he felt the known feeling of life being sucked out of him as he returned to his normal self. He then turned around and saw the armored statue that was now in the middle of the room.

_"What is that?"_ he thought.

He walked up to the statue. It looked like a Zora, but was clad in a heavy armor from head to feet. Two swords were in its hands and crossed in front of its chest. Link raised a hand and touched, and recoiled fast as the statue began to twitch. He gave a few steps back as a dark shadow crept through the floor, into the statue and the it moved as if it had come to life, held up both swords and started walking up towards Link.

He unsheathed his sword and held up his shield and waited for the living armor to strike. He could see two red glowing eyes through the slits in the armor's helmet. It slashed both swords and Link blocked one with his shield and parried the other. He jumped sideways to avoid a vertical slash and swung his own sword. The statue shook with the impact of Link's blade and swung its swords again. Link blocked the impact with his shield and flung it forward, hitting the armor and making it lose balance. He then jumped over it, made a somersault and performed a helm-splitting move by swinging his sword downward.

The armor shook and screamed in rage, as it shattered into the floor. Link saw the pieces of the armor turn into dust, gather into a gust of wind and shape into a chest. He opened it and found what he was looking for: a map of the Water Sanctuary.

_"Excellent! Now back to Laila."_ He went for the door through which he had entered, but it wasn't there. _"What the…?"_ He looked around the room and saw that the only possible way out was a small trapdoor on the farthest side of the room. He opened the trapdoor and saw a dark tunnel, flooded with murky water. He raised his mask and jumped in.

He was barely able to see anything beyond arm reach. The soft glow of the gem in his diadem illuminated the way, but the murkiness was still preventing him to see much. The tunnel was very wide, maybe 8 feet in diameter, and he noticed that it was entirely carved into the rock, as he could feel the rough surface of the stones when he reached for the walls. He then felt some vibrations in the water, and opened his eyes wide when he saw the shoal of skullfish that were swimming fast towards him snapping their sharp-fanged jaws.

He kicked hard against the wall to gain momentum and drew out his sword. He swung it hard and sliced two of the evil bony fries with one strike, but the rest of them began gnawing at his armor. He swung his sword back and forth, but the skullfish were swimming in a random unpredictable pattern, so he was having a hard time trying to repel them. He felt one of them sink its jaws into his leg and he screamed in pain, creating a cloud of bubbles that didn't help improve his field of view. The water around his leg was becoming warmer, and he looked down just in time to see the blood pouring out of his leg.

The Triforce in his hand began to glow and, once again, he felt like he knew what to do. He curled into fetal position and he felt how the energy concentrated into his core. He then stretched his limbs in an x-shaped position and the energy blasted out of him, in a sort of expansive wave. He saw how the remaining skullfish shattered, and their bones sank into the bottom of the tunnel.

He resumed his swimming through the tunnel, pain throbbing from his leg, and finally saw some light ahead. He kicked hard, sending a jolt of pain through his leg, and reached the end of the tunnel. He broke the surface of the water and climbed out. He sat on the floor and held his leg tightly. He then remembered the small vial, fumbled inside of his satchel and took out the small flask containing the red potion. He uncorked it and swallowed it in one single gulp. He felt immediately how the pain began to subside and he saw his leg, the bite slowly fading away as his skin regenerated around it.

He stood up and put some weight on his leg, verified that he could walk without limping, and then looked around, storing the empty vial in his satchel. He was now on one side of a mossy room, small droplets of water falling from the ceiling. The whole room was also circular and in the middle of it was a shallow murky pond. A walkway surrounded the pond and there was a ledge about thirty feet above the opposite side of the room. Right in front of him, there was a rocky walkway that arched a couple feet above the pond and barely five feet into it. At the end of it, there was a small altar.

_"This must be the shrine where they worshiped the Lanayru Spirit,"_ though Link, walking around the pond. He then saw a chandelier, hanging over the ledge above. He reached for the Rope of Faron and reeled himself up by hooking it to the chandelier. He landed on the ledge and he was hit in the chest by a strange creature. He fell backwards, slipped and nearly fell from the ledge, but he grabbed the edge on time. He pulled himself up again and the creature lunged at him again, hitting him on the face and making him fall down.

He hit the floor on his back, his shield beneath him taking in most of the impact. He tried to stand up in pain just as he saw three spider-like creatures jumping from the ledge above and falling towards him. The three creatures had a thick blue shell-protected body, about four feet wide; four yellow long legs, fully articulated that allowed them to jump high and fast; they didn't seem to have any head, but a set of three red glowing eyes could be seen at the front of the body, the middle eye being bigger than the other two.

Link did a back flip and withdrew his sword as the creatures lunged at him. He slashed the air with his sword and managed to cut one of the creatures' legs, while another one dashed at him knocking him down into the murky pond of the shrine. The creatures surrounded him while he stood up, so he held his sword horizontally, crouching and covering his front with the shield, concentrated all of his strength in his arm, and twirled in the same place, spinning his sword around him.

Two of the creatures jumped back, but the crippled one wasn't so lucky, as it got the impact of Link's sword and its carapace was split open. The other two creatures jumped at Link, who did another back flip to avoid them, then built momentum and jumped over one of them; he fell on top of it and sunk his sword to the hilt into the creature's body. It screeched and wriggled until it fell motionless. Link recovered his sword and looked at the other one, which dashed at him. He held up his sword horizontally in front of him and it sunk into the creature's eyes when it collided with him.

He stood for a few seconds there, staring at the dead beasts, cleaned his sword and sheathed it. He then looked at the chandelier again reeled himself up one more time. He saw a small chest on one side of the balcony and a door in front of him. He walked towards the chest first and opened it. Inside, he found a bunch of fish-bones, some algae and a small rusty key.

_"Excellent, now how the hell do I get back?" _he thought, and pulled out the map. He examined it carefully, realizing that he had somehow gone through a tunnel under the atrium and that the room where he was led directly back there. He put the map away and opened the door in front of him.

Laila was fluttering in the middle of the atrium. She seemed to be desperate and was mumbling something to herself. When she saw the door open and Link coming out of it, she screamed in relief and dashed at him. Link saw her coming and slamming against his chest. She stood there and link could almost feel her tiny arms trying to hug him.

"Link! Goodness, I've been so worried!" she cried. "Don't you ever do that again!"

"What happened?" asked Link, clearly confused.

"Dark fog came out of the door when you opened it and you started to turn into a specter again. Then you walked into the room and… and…" she stuttered while pulling away from him.

"And what?" asked Link.

"And walked right through a damn wall!" she screamed. "I don't know what games you're playing Link, but I need to know what happened."

Link explained everything while Laila simply listened to him. When he finished recounting the events she finally spoke up again.

"Ok, first things first," she started. "Clearly the Sanctuary changes when you are a specter, as you are able to see and do things that you wouldn't be able to do in a normal situation. The armored statue is called a darknut, and it's a possessed armor that strikes you when you approach."

"Yeah, that I noticed," interrupted Link.

"The shelled spider-like things that you encountered, they were presumed to be extinct already. They are called blue tektites, and they used to dwell in the dark caves of Zora's River and the Snow Peak Mountain," finished Laila.

"Well, they seemed to be pretty much alive," said Link. "Anyways, let's try the key on that padlock."

He walked up to the door with the rusty padlock and inserted the key, turned it and unlocked the door.

"Ladies…" began Link.

"Don't even think about it," said Laila. Link was relieved to sense some humor in her voice.

"Let's go then," he said, and opened the door.

* * *

><p>Garoth smiled when he saw Captain Leoni walk up to him, dragging a fair-looking girl along. He stood up and looked at them in amusement.<p>

"We've brought you a present, my Lord," said Captain Leoni, tossing the girl to the floor in front of him.

Tara cried in pain and lay there sobbing in silence. Garoth climbed down the throne and looked at her.

"Who is this girl?" he asked.

"We're not sure," said Captain Leoni, "but she knows this Link boy and seems to be very close to him too, as she couldn't stop crying his name all the way here. His girlfriend, maybe?"

Tara couldn't even look up. She knew that she was in the presence of the dark warrior that had defeated Link so easily at the tournament, just a few days before. She could smell a strong fume coming from him and a wave of heat. She was too scared to move.

"Take her to the dungeons!" ordered Garoth, and Tara cried as Captain Leoni dragged her away.


	21. WATER SANCTUARY – PART II

**A/N: are you ready for more? Here it is!**

* * *

><p>Link looked around the dark grim looking room that he had entered. It seemed to be like a dark pit, mossy and decayed, with a deep pool of murky water. Link leaned over the edge of the cliff where he was standing and saw that there were tunnel entrances underwater; however, he wasn't able to see how deep the water was. There was an old battered chandelier hanging in the middle of the room, its blue fire torches casting a ghostly light.<p>

"Brrrr… this place gives me the creeps!" said Laila.

"Yes, it does," agreed Link. "Wait, what's that?" He pointed at a dark shadow moving along the wall.

"I don't know, you better be ready for anything, I'll go check."

Link reached for his bow but he noticed that he didn't have it. He then remembered that he had left it in Zora's Domain, when he tossed it to the floor when fighting the Gerudo. He withdrew his sword and held up his shield as Laila fluttered towards the dark figure that kept crawling along the wall in Link's direction. When the soft flow illuminated it, Laila and Link both jumped in fear as the creature roared and jumped towards them.

It seemed to be some sort of black medium sized bat-like beast, with large fangs and bright red fiery eyes. Laila flew back towards Link and he raised his shield to protect himself. The beast flew up into the ceiling of the room and dashed at Link, who jumped sideways and rolled on the floor, and hid inside his hat.

"Laila, what is this thing?" asked Link.

"I don't know!" she replied in a scared voice. "It must be some sort of specter of the darkness!"

The foul beast slammed one of its talons towards Link, and he jumped again to evade it. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to evade it, he gave a step backwards for momentum and jumped into the murky water below, diving fast as deep as he could go.

He was almost by the entrance of the first tunnel when he turned around, but the creature was nowhere to be seen. He looked into the tunnel ahead and saw that it was pitch-black inside.

_"Laila, I need your help please,"_ he thought.

_"What is it, Link?"_ asked Laila, coming out from his hat.

_"Can you shed some light inside the tunnel?"_ he asked.

_"Sure! Tell the little fairy to get into the dark creepy tunnel first, right?" _she replied annoyed.

She entered the tunnel and Link saw the rough rocky surface inside was full of algae and dead coral remains. He dashed right behind, following her as closely as possible. At the end of the tunnel, Link noticed that there was light above him, so he shot upwards and broke the surface.

"Link, what is this place?" asked Laila.

He looked around and saw that they were in a small round room. It seemed to be empty, save for a large stone coffin in the middle of it.

"Seems to be some sort of tomb," murmured Link. He climbed out of the water and walked towards the coffin. There was an inscription engraved on it in Zora's script, so Link read it out loud:

_Here lies Priestess Ruto IX, descendant of the Sage that once protected the land of Hyrule, former ruler of the Zora. May her soul rest and go into crystal waters and find peace._

"And who is serving as priest, now?" asked Laila.

"I have a feeling that it was the old Zora that we met before," replied Link.

He was about to turn around when he saw a bright light above the coffin and the ghostly figure of a young female Zora appeared from it.

"Fear not, Hero, as I've been waiting for you to come," she said.

"Who… who are you?" asked Link.

"I am Princess Ruto, former Sage of Water. I used to guard the Water Temple, back in the old days of the Hero of Time," she replied. "I passed away many ages ago, killed by the Evil King when we tried to execute him, but the darkness that now covers the world has brought me from my eternal rest."

Link stared at her and waited for her to continue.

"You are a descendant of the old Hero of legends. You are the incarnation of the Hero of Time, the Hero of Twilight, and you have been chosen to lift the curse that has been set upon this temple. For this, I will give you a treasure. It is a shard of the key that opens the entrance to the door where the monster has been sealed. You must find the other shard hidden in this temple and then fight the evil beast of darkness."

Link nodded and looked at Laila, who also nodded at him.

"Hero, I must warn you," said the spirit of Princess Ruto, "the evil beast of darkness is very powerful, so you will need aid of the only weapon that will help you defeat it: The Golden Spear. It was forged ages ago and now it has been lost inside this sanctuary. Only if you find it, will you be able to penetrate the creature's armor."

Link nodded once more.

"Go, Hero… and save the land that the Goddesses love so much…" finished the spirit of Princes Ruto before slowly fading away.

Link saw a bright light appear again and a small golden shard appeared on top of the coffin. He picked it up and saw that it was the half of the key that Princess Ruto had mentioned. He put it in his pouch and walked back towards the tunnel, diving into it and swimming back towards the main room.

When he exited the dark tunnel, he looked around. There were several other entrances that he needed to explore, so he dived further down and went for the next tunnel. It seemed to be slightly illuminated be soft-glowing crystals that were embedded to the rocky inner walls.

_"Link, this one seems to be clearer than the previous one," _he heard Laila's voice in his head.

_"Let's go for it,"_ replied Link. _"I need to find the Golden Spear fast. The longer I take, the more the darkness will spread."_

They entered the tunnel and followed it for a few minutes and then reached another circular room. This one was bigger than the one where they had met Princess Ruto's spirit, had a higher ceiling, also rocky and mossy, and some tall pillars supported the structure. There was a door at the farthest end, with a silver padlock shaped like a clamshell.

"What do you reckon you'll find beyond that door?" asked Laila.

"The Golden Spear, I hope," guessed Link.

They walked forward into the room and, without a warning, the room began to shake and rocks started to fall from the ceiling. Link ran and dodged the falling rocks until the ground stopped shaking.

"What was that?" asked Laila. Then, she yelled, "LINK, LOOK OUT!"

Link received full impact of the heavy mace that was swung at him and flew back a few feet before slamming onto the ground. He got up seeing sparks in front of his eyes and stared at the lizard-like creature that was in front of him: it seemed like a giant overgrown lizard, with a heavy steel helmet and an iron mace in his hand. Its eyes were glowing yellow and its muscled body seemed to be perfectly fit for battle.

Link drew out his weapons and went into a defensive stance. He felt a jolt of pain in his chest: a broken rib.

"Link, it's a dinolfos, like the ones that attacked Kakariko Village," explained Laila.

Link had to jump sideways and roll on the floor, pain jolting again, when the dinolfos took a deep breath and shot a blaze of flames towards him; once again, he lamented not having his bow. The beast charged at him, jumped and flung its mace forward, but Link rolled forward and, ignoring the pain, he performed a spin attack, hitting the creature on his back.

The dinolfos screamed in rage and flung his mace again. Even though he blocked it with his shield, the impact sent him flying towards the wall. He felt another sharp jab of pain as he hit the rocks and fell on the ground. He looked up and saw the lizard running towards him. He gripped his sword tight and ran as well, bracing for collision. The dinolfos raised his mace, but Link rolled forward, jumped, and sunk his sword into the beast's heart. They both fell on the floor, as Link relinquished his sword, and the dinolfos lay still.

Link got up in pain. His head throbbed and his broken rib sent continuous jolts into his nervous system. He walked up to the carcass of the beast that he had just fought and retrieved his sword. He noticed the small bag tied up to its waist and picked it up. Inside, he found a small silver key.

"Do you think it'll work?" asked Laila, fluttering towards him.

"Only one way to find out," replied Link. He gave a few steps and then held his side in pain.

"Link!" yelled Laila. "Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine," he replied. He walked up to the door and inserted the key on the padlock, turned it, and unlocked it.

"Let's go," he said, and opened the door.

The room inside was very small, and the only thing that there was seemed to be a small pond of murky water. Link stepped into it and sank.

_"A tunnel?" _he thought.

_"Where will it lead?" _asked Laila's voice in his mind.

_"Let's find out,"_ replied Link, and he shot forward.

After a couple minutes of painful swimming, though he tried very hard to ignore it, they reached another underground cavern, like a giant rocky bubble full of water. When he had advanced almost to the center of the water-flooded cave he heard a heavy bubbling sound and turned around, just in time to see a set of bars emerging from the edge of the entrance, blocking the exit.

_"Link, look out!" _screamed Laila's voice in his head.

Link turned around as he saw a group of four squid-like creatures swimming fast towards him. They had three tentacles protruding from their big wide-yellow-eyed heads and had snouts that resembled pipes. He raised his shield in time, as they began spitting rocks at high speed. He blocked the projectiles and swam forward, sword in hand.

_"Link, careful!" _warned Laila. _"Those are octoroks."_

Link slashed with his sword cutting one of the octoroks in half and leaving a cloud of entrails floating in the murky water. Another octorok spat a burst of rocks at Link and he blocked them with his shield, but he didn't see the other two coming from behind. He received the impact of the rocks shot by them on his back and he was turned around in pain.

Laila pointed Link in the proper direction and he raised his sword and stabbed another octorok, which slowly sank to the bottom of the cavern.

_"Two more to go,"_ thought Link.

He blocked another burst of rocks with his shield and slashed again, but the two remaining octoroks had started to circle him in random patterns. He started slashing through the water but wasn't able to hit any. He received another burst of rocks on his back and closed his eyes in pain. Another burst hit him on the head and he was now seeing tiny sparks of light in front of his eyes. His head and side were throbbing in pain and he could sense how he was starting to lose consciousness. He slashed the water again and, this time, he felt how his blade cut through the gelatinous body of the octorok.

_"Link! Link!" _He could hear Laila calling him.

Another burst of rocks. He could feel the water getting warmer near his head and he realized that he was bleeding. He slashed with his sword, but nothing. He could feel his limbs growing heavy. Another rock hit him on the head and he slashed forward, feeling how the last of his foes was cut in half.

_"Link!"_ called Laila.

The pain was starting to fade away; he felt his grip on his sword fail and his sight began to darken as he saw the blade sinking into the bottom of the cavern. His limbs felt numb, his eyelids grew heavy; he noticed how he started to lose his senses.

_"LINK! WAKE UP!"_ cried Laila in his head, her voice sounding like if she were far away.

He began sinking to the bottom of the cavern. He didn't feel the pain anymore. He closed his eyes, and lay still.

* * *

><p>Joy opened her eyes wide. Tears began flowing as she ran into the shrine of Faron. The spirit was already waiting for her, and looked down at the Kokiri priestess as she fell on her knees crying.<p>

"You felt it too?" he asked.

"I can't see Link anymore," she cried.

Faron closed his eyes, while Joy let her tears flow for the fallen Hero.

* * *

><p>Garoth was standing by the window of the throne room laughing hard. His evil laughter was full of malice and he walked up to the throne and sat down. He had felt a light fading away: the Hero had fallen.<p>

* * *

><p>Zelda woke up crying. Viacka ran towards her and held her tight.<p>

"What's wrong, my Lady?" she asked softly.

"Just a dream…" replied Zelda. "Another horrible nightmare."

Zelda looked at Viacka and started recounting her dream:

_She was walking through a dark mournful town in the middle of a lake. The lake had entirely dried up and dark clouds loomed above in the skies. Zelda saw a dark shape rising from the bottom of the lakebed and shot bursts of dark energy at the small houses. People ran all around the streets, screaming in fear, but all along she stayed still. Then, there was a sudden glow in the skies and she saw three golden triangles descending in circles: Power, Wisdom and Courage, the pieces of the Triforce combined and began glowing with glory; but then, when Zelda started to feel hope again, the bottom right triangle, the Triforce of Courage, cracked and shattered into tiny pieces._

_The remaining triangles stopped glowing and the dark shapeless creature looked at Zelda, its red eyes glowing in the shadows, and shot another beam of energy straight towards her._

"What do you think it means?" asked Viacka.

"I don't know…" replied Zelda. "And I don't think I want to…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: sorry to leave you hanging in like this with such ending. Don't worry, this unexpected turn will continue on the next chapter: LAILA'S SECRET AND THE GOLDEN SPEAR. Se ya'!**


	22. LAILA'S SECRET AND THE GOLDEN SPEAR

**A/N: Ok, I guess that I did left it in a cliffhanger yesterday. I'm so mean right? xD well, I hope you're ready for some revelations, and despair as well. It's time for the Age of Darkness to truly begin. Enjoy! R&R please!**

* * *

><p>Garoth was walking towards Princess Zelda's room. He had ordered Captain Leoni to go get Tara, and now they were walking behind him. Garoth had an evil smile on his face, and his steps were firm, knowing that the Hero had fallen and now nobody would stand on his way. They reached the door of Princess Zelda's room on top of the spiral staircase and he kicked It open.<p>

Zelda and Viacka jumped startled. They had been talking about Zelda's dream, trying to find some meaning other than the one that Zelda feared so much. They recoiled as Captain Leoni entered the room dragging a crying young fair peasant girl and tossed her to the floor in front of them. Zelda ran towards the girl and held her while she looked at Garoth with hatred. When she saw the look on Garoth's eyes and the evil grin on his face her heart sank. She stood there, holding the girl, while tears started to roll down her cheeks as well.

"Well," said Garoth, "now that we are happily gathered and listening it's time for you to know how things are going." He made a pause for his words to cause some effect. "Today is the day that you will never forget. Darkness will once more rule over the world when my Master resurrects and recovers his body."

Despite her tears, Zelda grinned. She stood up and looked at Garoth fiercely.

"You're forgetting about Link; he will stop you," she said. The peasant girl looked up smiling. Garoth smiled, she had taken the bait.

"Your little Hero is dead," said Garoth, and he waited for his words to be fully assimilated.

"LIAR!" yelled the peasant girl. "LINK IS NOT DEAD!"

"What!?" yelled Zelda and Viacka at the same time.

Zelda fell on her knees trying to hold back her tears, for now her worst fears had been confirmed. Her dream, she had feared that her dream had meant that Link had been killed, but she had been hoping that it had some other meaning.

"He IS dead, when trying to break the curse on the Water Sanctuary." Garoth started to laugh. Suddenly, Zelda's piece of the Triforce began to glow. Garoth looked at it and smiled. "Hold on to that treasure for me, Princess. My Lord will be very pleased to take it from you." Having said that, he turned around, motioned Captain Leoni and they both exited the room. Garoth raised his hand and the doorframe started to glow with a dark aura, forming a shield of dark magic.

Zelda looked at the girl again, who was crying hard.

"What is your name, darling?" she asked.

"Ta… Tara," she replied. "My name is Tara."

* * *

><p>"What will you do now, my Lord?" asked Captain Leoni, when they reached the bottom of the stairs.<p>

"I shall go to the Barrens, to the Forsaken Fortress. There I will resurrect my Master."

"I will go get your horse, my Lord."

Garoth smiled as he watched Captain Leoni bow and walk away. The Hero in whom everybody had deposited their hopes was finally dead. It was time, he would send his armies all over Hyrule and take by force every town, every settlement, and every piece of land would be conquered in the name of his Master. He turned around and went back to the throne room.

* * *

><p>It was the middle of the night. Taglo and Oreana were walking through Lake Town. Suddenly, a dark cloud started to come down from the black shrouded sky and hit the floor, shaping itself as a black creature, over 8 feet tall, with long limbs and bright red eyes. All around them, Gerudo thieves and soldiers of the Royal Guard started to come out of houses that had seemed to be abandoned and they began attacking the people of town.<p>

Taglo unsheathed his swords as Oreana loaded her crossbow. Oreana cried in anguish when she saw a young girl being brutally killed by a Gerudo, but her screamed turned to fear when the beast touched the girl's head, and the body twitched and turned into a re-dead.

"Taglo, what's going on?" yelled Oreana amongst her tears.

"I don't know!" replied Taglo. "Come on!"

They began fighting the attackers, Taglo parrying and slicing with his swords and Oreana shooting with her crossbow. They had been going on for about five minutes when they heard a dark voice speaking from the skies. Taglo recognized Garoth's voice.

"PEOPLE OF HYRULE! THERE IS NO ONE TO STOP ME NOW! THOSE OF YOU WHO HAD FAITH IN THE OLD LEGENDS OF THE HERO, IT IS FUTILE! THE HERO APPEARED, BUT HE IS NOW DEAD, AND HIS CARCASS WILL ROT FOREVER AT THE BOTTOM OF LAKE HYLIA. SURRENDER TO THE DARKNESS OF MY LORD… OR DIE!"

Oreana froze, dropped her crossbow and her face went blank. _"Link isn't dead, Link isn't dead, he's NOT dead…"_ she began repeating in her head.

"Oreana, we must go!" yelled Taglo, trying to find some strength and pulling her arm.

"HE IS NOT DEAD!" cried Oreana as she shoved Taglo and started running.

Taglo picked up her crossbow and followed her out of Lake Town. They didn't look back, they climbed the stairs and Taglo forced her to climb up to his horse and they rode in the direction of Faron Forest. They needed to warn Link's people, it was the least he could do for his fallen friend.

* * *

><p><em>When Hyrule was first created by the Goddesses, and the Spirits were born in order to bring balance and protect life, the land was full of the Goddesses' magic. This gave place to the birth of the most beautiful of all magical beings: The Queen of all Fairies.<em>

_The Queen of all Fairies was considered to be the guardians of the Goddesses' magic, and protected some of the most important places in the land of Hyrule. Only those worthy of her presence, those who had been blessed by the Gods, those being sent by the Royal Family, only them would be able to commune with The Queen of all Fairies._

_There came the time that the Queen of all Fairies gave birth to some lesser races. Her daughters had different levels of magic, being smaller in size, and used to travel all around the land of Hyrule. The first of these races, the most powerful of them, were the Great Fairies, beautiful spirits that dwelt in hidden caves all across Hyrule and guarded their mother's magic. The second race was that of the shy pink fairies, whose only magic that they had inherited from their mother was the ability to heal, even bring back to life, an injured being; these were also divided in two: big fairies and small fairies._

_The lesser race, the least powerful of all, barely having any magic, was that of the companion fairies. These could be found in a variety of colors, depending on their glow, and were only found in the deep places of the forests of Hyrule. The once guardian of the forest, the Great Deku Tree, was considered to be the ruler of these beings, and he assigned them to watch over the children of the forest: the Kokiri._

_As ages passed, fairies were hunted down by servants of the darkness, being considered to be omens of the Hero. The Queen of all Fairies cried as she saw her daughters being hunt to nearly extinction and hid from the world in order to wait for better days. The few fairies that survived fled, and nobody ever heard about them again and they became characters of legend, mythical creatures that many now doubted that had existed._

_There was one fairy, however, that stayed close to her mother all the time. She never knew about it, but she was the only member of a fourth race. She had been the last to be born of the caste of the pink fairies, and she had inherited the same ability of her ancestors. She didn't know, and even the Queen thought of her to be a normal companion fairy, as her glow was white and soft, like the faint glimmer of the stars._

_When the time came for the darkness to cover the world once more, her mother sent her to guard the entrance to the Shrine of the Hero, and wait there for the moment to come, when the Gods would chose again a boy to carry the fate of the world on his shoulders._

* * *

><p><em>"Link…"<em>

_"Wake up, please… Link…"_

He felt as if he had a heavy weight on his body; however, his own body felt weightless.

_"Link… Come on…. Please… Wake up!"_

He opened his eyes slowly. At first, he couldn't remember where he was. What was that strange feeling he had? He tried to move and noticed how his limbs were numb. He blinked a few more times and adjusted his eyes to the darkness. There was a soft glimmer floating around him. He tried to follow it attempting to figure out what it was.

_"Link…"_

That voice in his head; he knew that voice. But who was it?

_"Link… Are you ok?"_

He felt then a burning in his hand and he raised it with difficulty. There was a faint golden glow in his hand. He blinked a few times and his view finally started to clear up. He realized that he was underwater, lying face up on a rocky floor and there was a golden triangle of light glowing in his hand. He looked around and saw a pink-glowing orb of light floating around him, involving him with sparks of light that disappeared when they touched his body. He blinked a few more times and noticed that it was a fairy. He knew that fairy.

_"Link, finally," _he heard a soft girly voice in his head.

He blinked one more time and he saw flashes of memories inside his mind: a dark rider in flames, a golden-haired beautiful young princess, a giggly girl behind a desk in what seemed to be a hotel, a fair girl dancing with him at a festival in front of a majestic castle… many more images came into his mind, reminding him who and where he was and what was his destiny.

_"Link…" _said the voice again. He now remembered her name.

_"Laila!" _yelled Link in his head. He saw the fairy's pink glow turn into a soft white light. She stopped fluttering around him and started to sink, as her wings batted weaker each time.

Link held Laila in his hand as she sank and looked at her. Her soft glow was almost gone, and he realized that something was wrong.

_"Laila, what's going on? What happened to you?" _he asked.

_"I don't know what happened or how I did it,"_ she replied. _"I only saw you there, lifeless at the bottom of the cavern, and I knew that I could do something. Y started to circle around you and suddenly my body began to emit this pink glow."_

Link could hear her voice clearly in his mind, but she was weak. He noticed in the way she spoke how she was almost out of energy.

_"I had heard about this kind of power before, but I never thought I had it,"_ she concluded.

_"Laila, you need to rest now," _thought Link, and he helped her hide inside his hat.

Link had also heard about the old fairy tales of magical beings capable of healing you or bringing you back to life. Maybe Laila wasn't exactly one of those, as she had been in the need to use almost all of her vital energy to save him. He examined his body and realized that there was no longer any pain. His head wasn't hurting anymore, and neither was his side. He saw his sword laying there next to him; he grabbed it and sheathed it and looked around. The entrance to the tunnel was open again, and there was something glittering a few feet away. He kicked into that direction and reached out a hand and grabbed the item: a small silver key dirty with octorok blood and entrails.

_"I guess I'm going to need this," _he thought, and stored it in his pouch. He then returned to the main room, after crossing again the large cavern where the dead dinolfos still was.

* * *

><p>Joy was laughing. She was wiping her tears and her giggles of happiness echoed around the shrine of Faron. She had saved him… the fairy had been able to work powerful old magic and saved him. Hyrule still had hope, and not only because of Link, but because of a small fairy.<p>

* * *

><p>Link inserted the key into the padlock that held the round metal door into the final tunnel. He had already examined two others, but they had crumbled down and were blocked by heavy rocks. He was now at the entrance of the last of them, and looked inside. The darkness inside was so deep that he wasn't able to see anything. It seemed like a cloud of black dust was pouring out of the tunnel.<p>

_"Laila, I need you to wait for me here," _thought Link.

_"Why?" _asked her voice in his head. He thought that her voice was regaining strength again.

_"You need to rest, and I have a bad feeling about this place." _He took her out of his hat and she floated around the entrance of the tunnel. _"Wait here," _he said, and entered the tunnel.

As soon as the dark cloud of dust entered in contact with his skin, he felt the pain again and started to turn into a specter. He already suspected that this was going to happen, but being prepared didn't make it less painful. He looked at his hands when the turning was completed and noticed how his skin was sizzling; apparently, his demonic self made his skin's temperature rise. He kicked into the tunnel, which he could now see perfectly, and reached a round wooden door. He tried to open it but there was no lock. He held up his sword, and before he knew what had happened, he saw a blast of dark energy flowing from it and firing against the door. The wood cracked and was blasted into pieces and Link, feeling surprised, entered the room ahead.

He noticed that he was at the bottom of a pool. He kicked upwards and broke the surface. When he climbed out of the water, he saw that the room where he was seemed to be practically empty, except for a figure sitting on a large coral chair. He approached and saw that it was a soldier, a Zora soldier, fully clad in armor. He seemed to be asleep, his head bowed, holding in his left hand, and keeping it vertical, an item that made Link's heart jump: a large elegant and ornamented spear, crafted entirely out of gold.

The room was so far the most elegant one that he had seen: it looked like it was made out of polished stone and was the only square room he had entered in the Sanctuary. There were torches of blue fire hanging from the wall and the walls were scribbled with complex writings in Zora's script.

Link approached the soldier and reached for the spear, but the soldier suddenly moved, gripped the spear tightly and kicked Link on the chest. He tripped backwards as the soldier twirled the spear above his head and then held it with his hand on his side, keeping it under his arm.

"Begone, foul demon of darkness!" he screamed. "Thou shalt never lay a hand on the Sacred Spear, for I, Raltos, will defeat thee and cast thy dark spirit back into the void!"

Link tried to speak, but then he surprised himself when, instead of saying a word, he was holding his sword and shield ready for battle.

_"What am I doing?" _he thought. _"I don't want to fight him!"_

The Zora warrior, Raltos, swung the spear at Link, who instinctively parried the attack with his sword. Without even wanting to, Link slammed his shield at the Zora forcing him to stumble backwards.

_"Stop! I don't want to do this!" _screamed Link in his mind. He tried to control his body, but he soon started to feel that the Zora was a real nuisance, getting in his way to achieve his goal. He could feel his strength growing as he continuously tried to fight back the desire to kill the Zora, and the one to drop his weapons.

Raltos swung the spear again, and Link blocked the attack with his shield and, without a second thought, he dashed forward and ran his sword through the Zora's belly.

_"NO! WHAT DID I JUST DO!?" _screamed Link in his mind. He saw the Zora fall on the floor, shivering in pain, and then he noticed the small mirror by the end of the room. He ran towards it and touched it. When he felt his body return back to normal, he ran towards the Zora and held him.

"Don't die! Please!" implored Link. The Zora looked at Link, closed his eyes and turned to dust.

Link stood there for a few seconds, his eyes fixed where the Zora's had been. When he was able to move again he looked at the Golden Spear and grabbed it. It felt warm in his hand, vibrating full of power. He twirled it a few times and knew that, though the price paid had been too high, he had finally acquired the weapon that would help him lift the curse on the Water Sanctuary. He was thinking how he would carry it back to the entrance, when the spear twitched in his hand and retracted itself by both ends. He nodded in understanding and stored it in his satchel. He noticed that there was another tunnel leading out of the room, other than the one through which he had entered, and which didn't have any dark dust, so he jumped into it and dived down through it.

* * *

><p>Link reached the end of the tunnel and found it blocked by a large mass of rocks. He found a crack between them and looked through it. Surprisingly, he saw Laila waiting for him next to the tunnel that he had entered before, just about two feet away from this one. He used his shield to slam against the stones and, after a few seconds, he managed to bring down the blockade. Laila saw him emerging and dashed towards him, apparently she was feeling much better.<p>

_"I have the spear," _informed Link.

_"Is everything ok?"_ she asked, looking at his grim expression.

_"Let's just go, ok?" _he added, and then started to swim upwards towards the surface.


	23. THE LOST QUEEN

**A/N: Wow! Am I a fast updater or what?**

* * *

><p>Link broke the surface of the water and immediately regretted having done so. He had completely forgotten about the demon bat that was guarding the room, so being grabbed by a set of strong talons and raised into the air took him completely by surprise. Laila fluttered toward the creature's head and tried to distract it, while Link drew out his sword and slashed at the creature's leg.<p>

The blade went right through it, as if it were mere smoke. Link slashed again and got the same result. He felt despair going through him, as he kept on slashing and slashing without even being able to tickle the demon. Then, he reached for the Golden Spear and grasped it. The rod quickly and smoothly grew back to its original shape and length.

"Link, hurry!" yelled Laila, as the beast tried to capture her snapping its jaws.

Link tossed the Golden Spear and both he and Laila cheered when it sunk into the beast's heart. Light beams started to erupt from the place where the spear had hit and then there was a loud bang. Link fell to the water as the beast exploded in a shower of sparks. The Spear fell towards the water, so Link grabbed it before it sank.

"Nicely done!" said Laila, fluttering back towards Link.

"Let's just hope it works on the demon as well. Hey, what's that?" The sparks that had been formed by the explosion were combining into one orb of light. When the event concluded, the orb started to slowly descend towards Link and stopped in front of him. He reached out a hand and the orb deposited itself in it before disappearing. In his hand now lay a golden shard, the second piece of the key to the lair of the demon that had cursed the Sanctuary.

"I think that's pretty much about it, Link," said Laila. "It's time to lift the curse."

Link nodded and looked around. He saw stalactites hanging from the ceiling, reached for the Rope of Faron, aimed and shot the grapple. He reeled the rope and landed on the ledge next to the door, opened it and returned to the atrium.

* * *

><p>Taglo and Oreana reached the edge of the Forest a few hours before sunrise. Oreana was fast asleep, as she had been crying since they had departed from Lake Town. He stopped by the entrance of the forest path that he had followed with Link just a few days ago and turned around; smoke, a dark column of smoke could be seen rising from Lake Hylia.<p>

_"Link… you were our only hope…" _he thought and resumed gallop into the woods.

He rode for several minutes, heading into Link's Village. Oreana woke up just when they had reached the entrance and they both knew that something was wrong. People in the village had built a stockade with tree logs, their tips now sharpened into spikes pointing outwards. Mournful faces could be seen all around (_"of course, every soul in Hyrule heard Garoth's announcement"_ he thought), and children ran inside of their houses at the simple sight of them.

They climbed down the horse and an elderly man approached them.

"Who exactly are you, and what business brings you here?" asked the man. He was wielding a sword and a shield in his hands.

"I'm Taglo, and this is my partner Oreana. We belong to the tribe of the Sheikah and…" both he and Oreana looked at each other, tears still in her eyes, "and we… we were friends with Link."

The man stared at them for a few seconds, and walked up to Taglo while sheathing his sword. When he got to them, he placed a hand in Taglo's shoulder and spoke in a sad voice:

"My name is Regol. I'm the blacksmith of the village and Link's mentor. Welcome…" and he pulled them both in an embrace.

* * *

><p>The door in front of Link was beautifully crafted. It seemed like it was the only thing in the whole temple which hadn't been tarnished by the dark curse. Link took out both pieces of the key and united them; they started to glow and the line that divided them disappeared. He inserted the key into the keyhole and the door immediately began to shake, slowly rise and leave a big cavernous entrance. Link stepped inside and the door closed behind him.<p>

The room was, as almost every other room he had seen, circular shaped. It was about 5 feet in diameter and there was a hole in the ground, about three feet wide. Link leaned and noticed that he could see a faint glow at the bottom of the pit. Without giving a second thought, he jumped.

* * *

><p><strong><em>-The Lair-<em>**

Link fell and hit the water at the bottom, immediately sinking into it. He noticed that the water around him seemed to be the most crystalline he had found so far, filling up to the top a large underground cave. He dived further down and measured the place: it seemed to be a perfect half-sphere, about one mile in diameter, its walls made out of polished rock, with dark sandy floor and glowing blue gems protruding from the walls around him, giving the place a ghostly look. Stuck to the wall was a sort of coffin, strangely placed in vertical position. Link kicked towards it and reached to touch it but was shot back by a burst of dark purple energy.

_"Link!"_ yelled Laila in his head.

Link felt the ripples on the water, as the cavern began to shake. He looked all around him and then realized that the dark sand on the floor was beginning to twirl, and a sort of funnel was beginning to form, taking all of the space of the bottom of the cavern. Something began to rise from the middle of the funnel, and Link saw as a gigantic black shiny pincer rose, followed closely by another. Something began to glow between the two limbs and a beam of red light was shot straight towards Link.

He dodged it by inches, kicking hard and swimming upwards, while drawing his sword and shield.

_"Link, try to stay away from the pincers' reach," _said Laila's voice in his head.

_"Oh, really? Now that's something new!"_ replied Link sourly.

A ball of energy began forming in the middle of the vortex, and shot fast towards Link.

_"Link, try to repel it!"_ suggested Laila.

Link swung his sword with all his strength and hit the energy ball, which was sent back to the vortex and, upon impact, exploded in a mass of light; Link though he heard a loud roar as well. Another beam of energy was shot and Link dodged it again. He could feel the water growing hotter, as each beam hit the polished rock walls, cutting deep and heating them up.

The third beam of energy nearly brought Link's demise, but he was able to dodge it by spinning horizontally, leaving a trail of bubbles around him. He went upright again and saw in time the ball of red energy being shot towards him, so he raised his sword and swung it again. Same as before, the ball of energy hit the vortex's center and exploded in a mass of light, and this time Link was sure he had heard the roar.

Another beam, and Link wasn't able to dodge, but blocked it with his shield. He was sent against the wall and sank to the ground in pain. The vortex started to spin faster and Link realized he was being pulled downwards. He kicked hard and swam upwards again, but one of the pincers reached out to grab him and, barely missing him, but swung so fast that he was hit and felt a sharp pain as the tip of it scratched his leg.

He swam away, feeling his hot blood mixing with the water of the cavern. He reached the wall and applied some pressure on his leg. He looked up just in time to see the ball of energy going at him. He swung his sword at the last second, but the ball of light didn't fly straight, but into the opposite wall instead. He looked down at the vortex and saw another ball of light forming.

_"Link, let me heal that…" _said Laila, and before Link could stop her she turned pink again and circled Link's leg. The wound disappeared, but Laila once again began feeling weary, so she hid inside Link's hat.

He saw the ball of energy being shot, so he swung the sword once again. This time, the orb went straight and hit its mark. Link heard the roar again and saw the vortex turning into a mass of waves, rocks started to break of the ceiling and sink to the bottom. Link saw a large explosion of sand and then an enormous mass erupting from the floor.

_"What in the name of all Gods is that!?"_ thought Link.

It looked like a gigantic crab, slightly elongated as a lobster, measuring almost 500 feet in length. Its body was black and was protected by a dark shiny plate of what seemed to be a hard thick shell. Its long articulated arms where topped by heavy lethal pincers, and Link was able to see a red glowing eye where the face should be.

Instinctively, Link reached for the Golden Spear, just as the beast lunged at him. He felt it grow in his hand and he tossed it forward as hard as he could, then he kicked upwards and dived into the bottom of the cave. The spear sunk into the creature's armor and light started to emanate from the crack. The demon roared in rage and shot a beam of energy at Link, who dodged it gracefully and swam back up to be above the beast. He retrieved the spear and lunged upwards again, but was hit by the demon's heavy arm.

The collision sent him against the wall, and he groaned in pain as he saw his foe swimming towards him, its bright red eye glowing as if ready to charge another beam. Link, gripping the spear tightly, aimed for the eye and tossed it. He saw the spear cut through the water and sink into the beast's eye, and then there was a sudden blast of light. The shockwave sent him to the wall again, and he saw the creature twisting and turning, while beams of golden light erupted from its body; then, there was another blast and a second shockwave, which hit Link hard, and everything went black.

* * *

><p>Garoth' was galloping in his fiery horse, heading to the Barrens, when he felt the shockwave and the land shaking. He pulled the reins and stopped in his tracks, as he saw the sudden blast and the glowing column of light that erupted from the lake.<p>

_"No… this cannot be… HE'S DEAD! HE IS DEAD! CURSE YOU!"_

* * *

><p>All around Hyrule, people saw the bright beam that was shot into the skies, and the black shroud that covered the Lanayru Province started to slowly dissipate. Some were surprised about this phenomenon, as they had witnessed a similar event a few days ago from the forest.<p>

In the Faron Forest, people in the Faron Village were looking at the bright light that was now illuminating the skies. Taglo and Oreana ran out of Mr. Rondel's house and looked at the beam that was cutting the heavens. Oreana fell on her knees and cried, as she knew that this could only mean one thing.

Back in the Castle, people were staring through the windows. Princess Zelda, Viacka and Tara were holding each other's hands while they watched the glorious column of light raise, and the last remains of the black cloud disappear. He was alive… and he had succeeded.

* * *

><p>Link opened his eyes and realized that he had fainted. Laila was fluttering next to the stone coffin, which had started to glow with a pale light. Link swam towards it and, without thinking, reached out a hand again.<p>

_"Link, careful!"_ said Laila's voice.

Link touched the smooth surface and the glow started to increase. He saw the walls around him started to shine, as an expansive wave of light covered the whole room. He knew that this meant that the Water Sanctuary was being returned to its former glory. The coffin's lid suddenly started to slide open and detached from the box, and as it sank Link saw the beautiful face of a sleeping Zora female, clad in beautiful garments, her head topped with a delicate yet elegant crown made out of silver, gold, and coral.

_"Link, is that…?"_ began Laila.

The Zora slowly started to open her eyes, and Link felt how a halo of light engulfed him. He closed his eyes and, when he felt that the light had dissipated, he opened them again. He was now out of the water, in the room where he had fought the tektites. The pond in the middle of it was beautiful and crystalline, and there was nothing mossy about the surfaces around him. Everything seemed to shine and was beautifully polished. He then noticed the Zora woman standing by him, looking at the pond. She lowered his eyes to see him and smiled.

"Thank you, Hero, for releasing me from my slumber," she said in a soft and solemn voice. "I am Queen Ayatra, ruler of the Zora."

"The… the queen?" said Laila, as Link was unable to sleep.

"I was kidnapped and cast into this dream of death and darkness, forced to be still while my people suffered." She made a pause and then smiled. "I know what you're after, Link. You are searching for the Light Spirits so you can unlock the door to the Sacred Realm."

Link simply nodded. He didn't feel like he could say anything proper.

"This is the spring of Lanayru, our guardian spirit. Only the priest or priestess can summon him, so we are not capable of speaking to him yet; however, you should continue your road and save the rest of the land that the Goddesses created."

Link bowed in reverence, but the Queen put a finger under his chin and lifted his face.

"I should bow to you, Hero, for rescuing me." She made a short reverence. "I will take you back to the Lake. You should go on as fast as you can." She closed her eyes again and Link saw the light engulfing him again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I really appreciate how the number of follows and reviews is steadily growing. I'd like to thank the ones who are now following/favourit..."ing?" and reviewing my story so far:**

**- ****Ayako Zetra (I hope you like the easter egg I left for you in this chapter xD... If you found it!)**

**- Joystick Gamer (are you still there? o.o)**

**- Frozen789 (reading your story too... update soon!)**

**- ****Koolkat222 (thanks for encouraging me!)**

**- ****courtlee79 (still reading, right? :D)**

**- ESope, bookwormsrule, MyWorldOfZelda & pudding123 (I'd like to read your comments too!)**

**This is the conclussion of Part II of the story. Soon more updates as Link embarks on his final quest to rid Hyrule from Garoth's hand. Will that be the end? o_O**


	24. HYRULE ABLAZE

**A/N: When I first started to write this story I didn't even think that I would upload it to until a friend of mine started to read it and, to my surprise, he enjoyed it. I then took courage (if ya know what I mean xD) and published it. When I got my first follower I couldn't believe it; but when it started to get flooded by reviews I was so happy that I felt encouraged to keep writing. I actually never thought to give such serious consideration to this story until I saw how much you were enjoying it and the number of follows, favourites and reviews increasing. You have no idea how much I enjoy now writing this for you all, so I wanted to take the chance to say it:**

**THANK YOU, GRACIAS, ARIGATO, GRAZIE, OBRIGADO, MERCI, DANKE! :-D**

**Now, back to the story! PART III of The Age of Darkness: AFTER THE MASTER SWORD!**

* * *

><p>Link assessed his surroundings, asking himself where he was and thinking at first that maybe he had been sent to the wrong place. When the halo of light had faded away, Link saw the sun shining bright in the clear sky; however, the town where he had appeared seemed to be completely in ruins. There were few houses still standing, but most of the once beautiful and lively Lake Town was now scorched down to ashes and blackened structures. People were walking around frightened; both for the light column that they had seen erupt from the lake (which Link couldn't know) and for the presence of Gerudo and Royal Guard soldiers on the streets.<p>

Link gave one step forward and then he heard a soft growl behind him. He turned around and saw a large black creature, shrouded in a dark cloud, with long limbs and a heavy head, staring back at him. Link jumped as he drew his sword fast and swung it at the beast, cutting its head clean. The rest of the body fell forwards and turned into a black cloud that slowly dissolved. He heard screams, and then heavy steps as the soldiers ran after him. Seeing that he was about to get surrounded, he took out a flash pellet and tossed it in front of him. The blast made the soldiers close their eyes and, when the light faded and they recovered their view again, Link was gone.

He watched as the soldiers began breaking to search from him, but he was already underwater. Still wearing the Zora armor, he kicked towards the ledge where the staircase began and climbed out.

"Link, what's going on?" asked Laila. "Where is everyone? What happened to the town?"

"I don't know," replied Link, while looking at the smoking buildings from the distance. "I guess that the town was raided while we were down there."

"And what about Taglo and…?" she began.

"And Oreana?" finished Link. Laila nodded. "I hope they escaped before it went bad for them." He made a pause and looked up the stairs; he noticed with dismay that part of it had been destroyed, leaving a wide gap. "Oh, no… there is no way out through here."

"What are you going to do, then?" asked Laila.

Link thought for a moment and then his looked down in despair. He knew that there was only one way out of the Lake, besides from the now broken staircase, and it was through Zora's Domain, and back into Hyrule Field.

"I guess… we're taking the long way round again," he said.

* * *

><p>He arrived into Zora's Domain, after having followed the secret Zora's passage, and was greeted by the elder with an expression of joy in his face. While he had been down at the lake, Queen Ayatra had returned, much to every single Zora's surprise, and prosperity seemed to be about to come back. However, when Link explained what had happened back in Lake Town, he was able to see mournful expressions appearing all around him.<p>

"This is one sad event," said a soft voice. Link turned around and saw Queen Ayatra walking towards them. He hadn't noticed before, but she had a slim figure and a beautiful face. Link was sure that, had it not been for the fish-like add-ons to her features, many men would have fallen for her. "The loss of Lake Town affects us as much as it affects Hyrule. Link, I'm aware that this is not the first settlement that has fallen, is it?"

"No. The first one was Kakariko Village, up in the Eldin Province," replied Link.

"Yes," replied the elder. "However, it's not only that..."

Link looked at the elder and then looked at Laila. She fluttered forward and asked Link's unspoken question:

"How do you know all this?"

"I thought you would have guessed by now," he replied. "I am Zurlo, priest of the Water Sanctuary. We priests can commune with each other through the Gods."

"You've been talking to Joy?" asked Link.

"More like she's been talking to me," replied Zurlo. "Link, before you exited the Sanctuary, we all heard a terrible voice coming from the skies. It was Garoth, spreading the news of your demise and commanding all people to bow to his Master."

"But... I didn't..." then he remembered: he had been sort of dead, but Laila had saved him and brought him back to life.

"Every single town in Hyrule that hasn't surrendered to Garoth or his Master has been raided," continued Zurlo. Link looked towards the entrance of the cavern that led into the tunnel that he and Oreana had taken to enter Zora's Domain. Zurlo sensed his urge, as he added smiling. "Your town hasn't fallen. But there is something that you must know."

Link felt fear increasing inside him. What had happened?

"Link, you must go back to your people. There you will find the answers that you are seeking," said Zurlo, and he left the atrium.

* * *

><p>Garoth reached the entrance to the Barrens. The gate had been opened recently by his people, breaching the wall that the Royal Family had built to cage them like animals. His anger was such that his mantle of fire was producing sparks, and had scorched a long trail of grass. He looked back and saw the smoke that was still rising from the several places that he had ordered to destroy, as they had refused to subdue to his Master's will: Kakariko Village, Lake Town, Eastern Castle Town, Snow Peak Village, they were all in ruins.<p>

He looked back at the gate as it slowly started to open for him, urged his demonic horse and shot forward into the desert.

* * *

><p>By the time he reached Hyrule Field, the sun was already high into the sky. He saw Epona where he had left her ("Wow, isn't she a faithful mare?" he thought) and walked up to her. The way out had been much easier that the way in; besides, having the Zora armor and water flowing again made it less dangerous. Despite this, when he removed the armor and put his own green clothing back on, he realized how tired and hungry he was.<p>

He stored the armor in Epona's saddle bag and climbed up to her back. He didn't have time to eat or sleep, he needed to ride fast towards the forest, so he whipped the reins and the horse shot forward.

He then realized something was wrong and stopped to look at the changed scenery: the dark cloud over the Castle was growing larger; the Castle itself, its once beautiful and majestic towers, which windows had dazzled him the first time he saw them glinting with the reflected sunlight, was now changed into a black castle, its towers dark and lifeless; smoke was rising from the interiors of Castle Town, leading Link to think that maybe it had also been raided; further away he saw the tip of Death Mountain, its unusual halo-shaped cloud was now a ring of black clouds, which emitted sparks and bolts of lightning; finally, there was the high concentration of small camps all across Hyrule Field, which he doubted were friendly. He urged Epona towards Faron Forest once more, drawing out his sword as he galloped into the distance.

It didn't take him long to reach the first camp. Sure enough, a group of bokoblins jumped at the sight of him and raised their swords. Link jumped from Epona's back with a somersault and started slashing at each one of the. He soon disposed of his enemies and ran towards his horse, which had stopped when she felt her rider was no longer there.

The way to the woods was more dangerous than ever. He had never seen so many enemies in one day. He had already fought four camps of bokoblins, three rampaging moblins, a pair of stalfos ("why are they out during the day?" had asked Laila), one dinolfos (he nearly lost Epona there) and had been chased by dark boar-like beasts about the size of an overgrown bull.

When he reached the forest, he climbed down and fell on his back. He was feeling a lot of pain due to his new wounds, amongst which he could count: a deep cut on his left arm, the tip of an arrow still sunk into his right leg (he had broken the rest of the shaft earlier), several bruises, a small cut on his forehead (he still had dried blood in his hair) and one particularly stinging burn in his right arm (courtesy of the dinolfos).

He saw that the sun was starting to set down, and he had no intention of being found by the creatures of darkness while he was outside, so he gathered his strength and got up and climbed back onto Epona. He looked into the forest path and entered it.

* * *

><p>The sun had already set down. Taglo and Mr. Regol were on top of the watchtower that they had just finished constructing. Taglo had the bow that he had once given Link in his hands, arrow ready, while Mr. Regol looked towards the entrance of the village. There the foul smell of rotten flesh could be sensed coming from the remains of a large pyre, where they had burnt the bodies of the bokoblins that had tried to raid the village earlier.<p>

From their position they were able to view the whole village, and also there were three other watchtowers surrounding the perimeter, where brave men awaited for any foe to come near. It was Taglo however, his keen Sheikah senses being more developed, who first heard the hoofs of an approaching horse.

He turned around and held up his bow, ready to shoot first and asked later; however, when he saw the white fairy fluttering in front of the rider, he lowered his bow unable to believe what he was seeing. The horse then stepped into the light cast by the moon and Taglo saw the green clothes and the battered warrior that wore them.

* * *

><p>Link felt his vision fading. He felt too weak to hold on any longer. When he saw people running towards him, screaming his name and calling for help, he closed his eyes in relief and fell sideways into the floor.<p>

He lay there, feeling how he started to fade, when he felt a pair of arms hold him and wrap him in an embrace and then let him go.

"Link!" she said, for it was a girl.

Link opened his eyes and saw Oreana's face, tears rolling down her cheeks. He smiled at her and closed his eyes again as he fainted.

* * *

><p>Link felt his body heavy and weak. He was unable to open his eyes as his eyelids wouldn't respond. He heard voices.<p>

"He's lost lots of blood," said a familiar voice of a man.

"Will he be ok?" said a girl. "I can't stand watching him like this."

Link felt a soft hand caressing his face and then he faded again.

* * *

><p>Link woke up when the sunlight entered through his window. He opened his eyes as he slowly sat up and looked around, recognizing the room immediately: it was Tara's. He removed the blankets and saw that his clothes had been changed, for he was wearing his old light farmer clothing. Had it all been a dream?<p>

He stood up and felt a low pain in his leg, and he sat back on the bed, looked down and saw the white bandage wrapped around his right tight; he touched his head and noticed another bandage wrapped around it. The rest of his wounds had been cleaned up and properly bandaged as well.

The door of the room opened and Link saw a sad-faced Oreana coming in. When she saw Link awake she shrieked, smiled and ran towards him, pulling him in an embrace that made him see tiny dots of light around him.

"You're ok... You're ok... You're ok..." she repeated.

"Yeah, I am!" replied Link while holding her back.

She released him and Link saw tears flowing. Oreana was still smiling, but Link had too many questions right now. Taglo then quickly entered the room along with Mr. Regol, Mr. Durian and Tara's mother. They had panicked when they heard Oreana's scream, but now they were all sighing in relief.

"Hi there, Link," said Taglo with a smile.

"Link, darling, good to see you up again," said Tara's mother.

"Link, good to see you awake," said Mr. Regol.

Mr. Durian simply smiled and nodded and Link returned the gesture. Laila entered fluttering through the window and lunged at Link as well; she had been playing with the children outside when she heard Oreana's shriek and thought that something had happened.

"Link!" she yelled. "You're awake!"

Oreana smiled at the fairy as she approached.

"We had to stop Laila from trying to heal you when you arrived," said Oreana, wiping her tears. "She told us what happened back in the Water Sanctuary. We couldn't let her do so, as apparently it takes a great deal of her vital energy to heal wounds." She smiled at the fairy as she, surprising Link, fluttered next to Oreana.

"The two of them have become good friends," explained Taglo. "They haven't moved from your side in three days, taking shifts to look after you."

"That's…" Link opened his eyes wide. "THREE DAYS?" He tried to stand but the pain on his leg and head made him sit back.

"Easy boy!" said Mr. Durian. "You've been badly injured and lost a lot of blood. You were unconscious all this time."

"Bulbins' arrows," said Taglo, "are usually impregnated in a toxin that delays the healing process and attacks the immune system. We had to give you an antidote which, lucky for you, we Sheikah know how to mix."

Link looked around them and noticed one more time the look on Tara's parents' faces. He stood up again and asked the question that had been going around his head since he woke up.

"Where's Tara? And, where's my father?"

They all looked at him and Link saw a tear rolling down Tara's mother's cheek.


	25. BACK ON THE ROAD

**A/N: Not much to do at work so I focus in writing (I'm a trainer in a call center, so most of the time I'm just sitting idle with nothing to do xD).**

**Koolkat222, I replied to you via PM; however I would like to let everyone know as well that I doubt there will be a ZeLink in this story :(... sorry about that. If you've noticed, ever since the "LAKE TOWN" chapter I've been slowly developing a Link/Oreana, which may or may not be fulfilled, as also Tara seemes to be having some feelings as well, but who knows? (NO, NO SPOILERS FOR YA'LL xD); however, Zelda IS going to be of more involved in the story very soon.**

**Thanks again for all of your support!**

* * *

><p>Link was sitting by his father's grave looking at the tombstone absentmindedly. He had heard the story of the attack on the village from Mr. Regol, and he had then just walked out of Tara's house and found his way alone to the clearing where graveyard was located. He had now been there for a few minutes, gazing at the polished stone that now marked the resting place of the man who had raised him, taught him to use as word and a slingshot, and had raised him to be the man he now was. A tear rolled down his cheek, as he felt anger boiling inside of him; he could feel the desire to slay the man who had taken his father's life and kidnapped his best friend screaming to be released.<p>

He looked down at his hand as he closed a fist and was surprised to see that his skin was getting darker, like if he had rubbed it in ashes. He raised both hands and noticed that it was happening to all his body. He closed his eyes and breathed fast, trying hard to fight away whatever was happening to him; when he opened his eyes, he was back to normal. He didn't hear Oreana approaching until she sat next to him and held his arm.

"Link…?" she said, but he didn't respond or look at her so she continued, "Link, I'm so sorry."

He kept looking at the tombstone for a few seconds and then looked at her. She had a sad expression on her face and was dressed in a sleeveless dress that belonged to Tara's mother and had her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. He placed one of his hands in the one she had on his arm and she gripped it.

"I'll be fine," he said in a low voice. "I just… I just wish I had been here. I wish I had never left home."

"I know," she replied, "but you can't escape destiny. The Gods lay out our road and it is our duty to follow it."

"I can't do this," replied Link. "It's too heavy a burden."

"Taglo and I will be with you 'till the end," she said with a faint smile, cupping his hand with hers.

Link smiled back and looked at her. She had her green eyes locked onto Link's. They kept staring at each other for a while, their breathings slowly synchronizing with each other's and then, without knowing what was going on, they slowly started to approach as they both closed their eyes. They were less than three inches apart when Link heard Laila's voice calling him from the forest.

"Link, are you here?" she asked, as she fluttered into the clearing. They quickly turned around and Link stood up. Oreana had a bright pink color in her cheeks.

"I'm here," he replied.

"Link," she said. "Mr. Regol wants to see you."

"Thank you Laila," replied Link. He looked at Oreana who was still sitting on the grass, her cheeks still pink. He smiled at her, kissed her forehead and left with Laila.

* * *

><p>Link was sitting in front of Mr. Regol, a cup of <em>Faron Chateau<em> in front of him as usual, while his mentor placed a medium sized box in front of him. Link looked at it with curiosity while Mr. Regol smiled.

"Link," he said. "I think this will be handy for the next part of your trip. You tell me that you are now planning to enter the Barrens, so you will need something to protect you better from the foes that you will surely encounter there."

Link stood up and slowly opened the box and his eyes widened in surprise. Inside, there was an elegant chest plate of shiny polished steel, with broad articulated shoulder plates and the emblem of the Royal Family engraved on its chest and painted in red. It was so light that Link couldn't begin to think how it would be strong enough to stop an arrow.

"Link," explained Mr. Regol. "I never told you this, but I used to be a Captain of the Royal Guard, back in my good days. The King himself gifted me with this when I retired. I'm giving it to you, so you can wear it on top of your Hero clothes and show your foes that you still fight for Hyrule."

Link smiled in appreciation while he looked down at the gift he had just been given.

* * *

><p>The last couple of days had been eternal for Link, as he had to fully recover from his wounds. Now, he had put his green clothes back on, with its chainmail underneath and the chest plate that Mr. Regol had given him on top. He was climbing back onto Epona while Taglo approached riding his own horse with Oreana behind him, riding a white horse that Mr. Regol had given her.<p>

The two Sheikah had become very popular in town, and now many were waving at the three of them as they gathered at the entrance of the stockade.

"We'll be fine," said Mr. Regol, who was standing beside Link with Mr. Durian.

"I'll come back," said Link, and he turned to look at Mr. Durian, "I'll bring Tara when I do."

The two men nodded and backed away, as the three riders ventured into the forest.

* * *

><p>The sun was shining bright above when they came out of the Forest Path. Link could see the columns of black smoke rising all over the land as Taglo stopped next to him.<p>

"This is awful," said Link.

"Garoth must still think that you're dead, so he finally unleashed his armies to ravage this beautiful country," replied Taglo.

"I think I should do this alone," said Link. "The Barrens are…"

"Don't even dream about it," said Oreana as she stopped by Link's other side. "We promised to help you so we will."

Link smiled at her and she returned the smile. Laila fluttered out of his hat and hovered in front of him.

"Link," she said, "I think we should get moving. The entrance to the Barrens is on the other side of Lake Hylia."

Link was about to reply when they saw a new column of smoke forming in the distance.

"What's that?" he asked. Oreana opened her eyes wide.

"Link, in that direction lays a small village founded by Sheikah long ago," she said. "It was hidden for a long time, but now it was said to be a place of retirement for the Sheikah."

"Let's move!" said Link, and the three of them shot forward.

They had been galloping for about fifteen minutes when they met a horde of bokoblins led by a single moblin. Taglo took out one of the bokoblins with the bow while Oreana shot at another with her crossbow. Link slashed with his sword and killed a third one, but the moblin lit a small bomb and tossed it towards him.

"BOMB! LOOK OUT!" yelled Link, as he pulled Epona's reins and turned around.

The blast of the explosion wasn't too great, but it was close enough as to make Epona neigh in fear tossing Link into the ground. He stood up as he saw a bokoblin charging at him and he made a spin attack that ended the creature's rampage. He saw Oreana fall from her horse as a bokoblin pulled her by the skirt of her robe and Taglo aiming the bow, with an explosive arrow stringed, straight at him.

"What the…!?" he yelled, as the arrow flew past him and exploded. Link was tossed forward and felt the shower of moblin remains fall on him.

"Sorry pal," said Taglo, running up to him and helping him to his feet.

"Was that really necessary!?" screamed Link.

"Sorry Link, I'm out of arrows!" explained Taglo.

They both turned around as they heard Oreana scream. She was surrounded by four bokoblins who were now pointing their swords at her. Link started sprinting and got there first, beheading one of the creatures while Taglo got there and disposed of another with one of his swords. Oreana drew Taglo's second sword and slashed it at a third one, while the fourth one ran for his life. Taglo reached for a knife that was hidden under his wrist pad and tossed it at the bokoblin, who fell dead.

They stood there for a few seconds, looking around them as if waiting for another horde to appear. When they were sure that everything was clear, the sheathed their weapons and began salvaging any arrows and bolts for Taglo and Oreana as they could. Also, for Link's surprise, he was able to find a leather bag containing three bombs inside.

"Hey, great loot you got there, Link," said Oreana, standing next to him and winking an eye when he looked up.

"Yes it is," he replied with a smile. "I'm quite sure we will be able to find some use for it."

They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds and then Oreana leaned and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks again," she said, her cheeks slightly pink, "it's the third time you saved my life."

"No problem," replied Link with a smile. "I thought that you Sheikah were more skilled," he joked.

"Hey!" she replied, nudging him and giggling.

"Thankfully were not as clumsy as her," intervened Taglo reaching them. The three of them laughed for a while. It was good to be able to do so after what they had gone through in the last few days. When they were able to stop, their faces went grim again, as they remembered the smoke they had seen. Taglo spoke again. "We should keep moving. The entrance to the Hidden Village is this way."

They fetched their horses and galloped again, heading towards the column of smoke that was rising into the sky.

* * *

><p>Garoth was in the deepest chamber of the Forsaken Fortress standing in front of the black coffin where his Master's body lay. He knew that the day for him to rise again was near, and that the Hero would come to the Fortress to release Eldin from his prison and release Hyrule from the darkness that he had cast upon it. But he was ready, and he would wait.<p> 


	26. GIFTS FROM THE PAST

Link, Taglo and Oreana were now walking as silent as possible. They had reached the entrance of the tunnel that led to the Hidden Village. They had their weapons ready and were about to reach the exit when they saw a flash of light that blinded them. They closed their eyes and Link felt a blow on his neck that rendered him unconscious.

When he woke up, he saw that he was lying on a mattress on the floor. Taglo was nowhere to be seen, but Oreana was sitting next to him with a smile and Laila fluttering around his head.

"Hey, finally," she said.

"Are you ok?" asked Laila.

"Hey…" replied Link, sitting upright. "What happened?"

"Well," said Oreana, "the village had been raided, but the Sheikah who live here managed to defend the place. The smoke we saw was the fire where they were burning the corpses of the bokoblins and moblins that had entered and, when they heard us coming in, they thought we were enemies. We already settled things with them, so don't worry."

The door opened and Taglo entered the room, followed closely by an old woman with red eyes. Link had heard about that particular trait of the Sheikah, but he had never really stopped to wonder why neither Taglo nor Oreana had it. Taglo nodded at Link and Oreana, who stood up and looked at the old woman, while Laila hid back inside Link's hat; Link noticed that, even though she seemed to be quite old, she still looked like a strong warrior.

"Welcome, Hero, to our humble village," she said in a firm voice. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, but you have to agree that you were entering in a rather suspicious way."

"Don't worry," said Link with a smile.

"Allow me to introduce myself," she said. "I'm Mazara, leader of this village, the last of the true Sheikah."

"The true… Sheikah?" replied Link confused.

"We Sheikah had to go into hiding when the darkness came," replied Mazara. "In order to continue with the caste, we had to mix ourselves with Hylian and teach others our skills and secrets. We soon became more of a cult than a race."

"That explains why we have their skills, but not all of their physical traits, such as red eyes," explained Taglo.

"Link, we want to help you learn some of our techniques so you can improve your fighting skills, but this may take a few days," said Mazara.

"No way, I don't have a few days," replied Link.

"If your spirit is strong enough and you have indeed been chosen by the gods, then you will be able to master the three spells that we can show you faster than anyone else. However, I must warn you that these spells will demand a lot of concentration and will drain some power from you. If you use them too often you may start to feel weary, and that can be very bad if you are in the middle of a fight. Try not to abuse of these spells, as they may weaken you if you do."

"Ok," replied Link. "Who will teach me?" asked Link.

"I will," said Taglo, stepping forward.

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo were standing in the middle of the Sheikah training grounds, which was actually a small cavern next to the village's entrance. Taglo was first showing him how to use a spell called Farore's Wind, which was actually the one he had used to go to Zora's River.<p>

"You must understand the way this spell works is by moving you through the air into the place you want to be. It won't work if you want to teleport somewhere underwater or inside an enclosed cavern," explained Taglo. He pulled a chain that he had around his neck and showed Link a small crystal with a green glowing orb inside. "This is what helps you channelize your vital energy in order to cast the spell. You must hang it in front of you, like this," he showed him how to cast the spell, teleporting four feet away. "See? Now you try."

They worked on the Farore's Wind for several minutes. Taglo couldn't believe it when Link was actually able to teleport from one side of the cave to the other.

"Remember, you must have in your memory the image of the place you are going, or else it will never work and you will be stuck in the void forever."

"Understood," replied Link with a smile.

"Excellent. Now, next spell."

They kept practicing the whole day. Link learned two more spells from Taglo: Din's Fire, through which Link was able to hit the ground with his fist and release and fiery expansive wave that burnt everything on its way, and Nayru's Love, which created a sort of energy barrier between Link and his opponent, preventing any kind of attack to go through.

Eventually, Link felt extremely tired, for the three spells demanded a lot of energy to be cast. The most tiring of all was Nayru's Love, which took a lot amount of strength and concentration to be held in place. They both returned to the village when the sun was setting down and went to the cottage where the three of them where staying. Oreana was sitting on the front steps looking at an old map, with Laila fluttering around her head casting some light and pointing at some things.

"Hey," said Link with a smile.

"Hey back," replied Oreana, winking an eye. "How's that going?"

"He has mastered all three spells in one day," explained Taglo. "The worst part is that he doesn't even need the crystals. It's like if he had the power of the Goddesses in his hands."

"Well," replied Oreana with a grin, "he DOES have the power of the Goddesses, doesn't he?" She couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Of course!" said Laila, "he holds the Triforce of Courage, remember?"

"Yeah, I know that," said Taglo with a smirk. "But I mean, we Sheikah have been learning these spells for ages, taking months of training to be able to use them with different levels of success."

"Well, I guess being a descendant of the Hero of Time does have its benefits," replied Oreana. The four of them laughed.

"We should go get some sleep," said Link when they stopped laughing. "Tomorrow we must go to the Barrens."

"Laila and I found a path on this map," said Oreana while looking at the fairy.

"Yes, we did!" replied Laila, cheerfully. Link still couldn't believe how they were getting along. "There is a path that goes from a cavern next to the Great Bridge of Hylia, above the lake, and goes into the Barrens' very core. We will be able to skip a lot of desert-crossing."

"The downside is," continued Oreana, "that this path was blocked when the wall was built."

"We should still give it a try, though," said Taglo.

"We should leave the horses here so they can rest," said Oreana. "We will carry our own bags so let's only bring what we will really need."

Link looked at his satchel, which seemed to be a bit bulky now that it was so full of things. He was considering what he should leave behind when he heard Mazara approaching.

"That won't be necessary," she said. "I will give you exactly what you need." She handed them three equal brown satchels, each one of them made of leather and marked with the emblem of the Sheikah. "We Sheikah used to carry these back in the old days. They were blessed by the last great fairy for them to be able to store unlimited items. You only need to reach inside and think of what you'll need and it will be at your grasp."

The three of them murmured their appreciation and smiled at Mazara. She smiled back and then looked straight at Oreana.

"For you, I have something even more special," she said, as she handed him an elegant gold-crafted lyre. Its strings seemed to be made of pure silver, though Link really doubted they were. Oreana took it and saw that it was engraved with a set of wings that adorned its whole frame. "This lyre belonged to a member of the Royal Family that lived amongst the Sheikah in hiding for seven years. That was many ages ago, but she was able to aid the Hero of Time in times of need."

Link, Taglo and Oreana looked at each other unable to speak. The revelation that this lyre had been around for so long, and yet seemed to be as good as new, seemed to be too much for them. Had the Hero of Time really seen this lyre and heard its melody?

"Mazara, I…" began Oreana.

"You will need it," said Mazara, then she looked at Taglo. "You will need something more powerful than your normal weapons to defeat the Emissary of Darkness. Only the sacred silver arrows will be able to break through his mantle of darkness and weaken him. When time comes, you will aid Link in the defeat of Garoth." She grabbed the quiver that none of them had noticed she had hanging on her back and handed it to Taglo. Inside, there were ten arrows entirely crafted in silver, topped with three golden feathers.

"Thank you," said Taglo, taking the quiver and bowing to Mazara.

"As for you, Hero of Light," said Mazara, handing Link a small wooden box. "The princess of those days hid the key to the Sacred Realm from the Evil King, so he couldn't enter it, by giving it to the Hero. He then left the land of Hyrule for a long time, but upon his return, he gave it to the Sheikah for them to hide it. Now it's time for you to use it, as it is the only way you shall be able to enter the place when the Blade of Evil's Bane rests."

Link took the box and slowly opened it; the four of them, including Laila, gasped in shock. The object inside was an elongated polished instrument; it had several holes carved into it and had a shiny silver band, with the Triforce engraved in gold, around the mouthpiece. It seemed to emit a soft blue and silver glow when Link reached for it.

"Link," said Mazara. "This is the Ocarina of Time, the key to the Sacred Realm. When you get to the door of the Master Sword's resting place you must play the following tune in order to open it."

Mazara held up a small wooden flute and began playing on it. It was a beautiful melody, full of wisdom and melancholy. Link listened how each note echoed as if it was a lament from an ancient God. Link looked at Oreana, who held up her lyre and began to follow the notes in canon, trying to help him. He had never played an ocarina before, but somehow he felt that it wouldn't mind. He slowly brought the mouthpiece to his lips and blew a single note.

Note by note, Link started to follow the trail of the notes that the two women played, first in canon and then at the same time. When the melody ended, they could all feel a soft wind caressing their skins. Link opened his eyes and saw Oreana and Mazara smiling at him.

"Link," said Mazara, "that melody is called The Song of Time. If you play that song in front of the altar that lies in the Sacred Grove, then Hylia will open the Doors of Time for you."

Link smiled as he looked at the beautiful instrument in his hands. He now knew that the Goddess of Time would always protect him.

* * *

><p>Zelda woke up in the middle of the night feeling extremely hot. She looked at the two girls in the room, as they still slept. Zelda got up from the mat she had placed on the floor, as she had refused to sleep on her bed if her cellmates weren't in one, and looked through the window. She gasped in shock when she saw Hyrule Castle Town in flames.<p>

* * *

><p>The next morning Link was finishing storing all of his things in his new satchel. He had noticed that, no matter how many things he stored inside, it never grew heavy. Laila was fluttering around humming a lively song when Taglo and Oreana came through the door. Taglo was already geared up; he was wearing his usual black cloak, but had changed his vest for a white one with the emblem of the Sheikah painted onto it. Oreana was clad in her usual combat outfit, looking as dazzling as ever. Link then noticed that she had cut her long hair, which was now a bit larger than shoulder-length. She did look very pretty.<p>

"Wow, Oreana! You look great!" he said with a wink.

"Th… Thanks, Link," replied Oreana, blushing flustered by the sudden compliment. "Mazara recommended that I did this. She said that having long hair would be a nuisance in the desert and in battle."

"If you two lovebirds are done, I think we should go," said Taglo with a smile. Link and Oreana let out a nervous chuckle and Link grabbed his things.

After briefs farewells, they left the village on foot and looked in the direction of the Barrens. Oreana was walking next to Link, with Taglo right behind them. She gasped when they saw the dark cloud that covered the Barrens, now twirling and emitting bolts of lightning.

"Guys…" said Taglo, coming to a halt next to them. "If you care to look at the Castle…"

The three of them looked ahead, as they saw a blaze of fire coming from Hyrule Castle.

* * *

><p>The ritual had commenced. Garoth knew that it would only be about three days of preparations, but eventually his Master would rise once more. It was time for the Lord of Darkness to claim his rightful throne.<p> 


	27. ACROSS THE FIELD

**A/N: Updating from phone again x.x thumbs are killing me. Thanks again for all your support! I present you the new chapter!**

* * *

><p>"Do you think we should try the spell?" asked Link.<p>

"Well," said Taglo. "It's only you and me who know how to work it out."

"Will it work if either one of us brings Oreana along?" asked Link.

"I guess it will," said Taglo.

"Wait, you're not piggybacking me into a teleport portal!" yelled Oreana.

"Crossing the field will take us too long. And remember that there are enemies scattered all around as well," said Link.

"Then we better move fast," said Oreana, and she sprinted forward. The other two just looked at each other and followed her.

It wasn't long before they encountered the first of their enemies. Taglo had climbed into a rocky formation to look ahead when they saw a creature diving toward them from the skies. It looked a lot like dinolfos; however, it seemed to be smaller and had large bat-like wings behind its backs. Laila saw it too and yelled at Link:

"Link, guys, look out! It's an aeralfos!"

One of them drew out a short mace and swung it forward as it dived, hitting Taglo on the chest and making him fall from the rock he had just climbed. Oreana raised her crossbow and shot, but the aeralfos held up a shield and blocked it. It swung the mace again, this time at Link, but he dodged it and slashed with his sword.

Oreana shot another bolt, and Taglo aimed with his bow and arrow. Both projectiles went straight through the aeralfos' wings, making the creature scream and fall flat on the ground. Link didn't give it a second thought, and ran toward the fallen monster and jumped onto it, sinking his sword on its back ending its life.

Taglo walked up to the carcass and looked at the medium sized round shield that was still in the creature's arm. He undid the belts that held it in place and examined it.

"If you don't mind, I'll keep this," he said.

"Be my guest," replied Link.

The continued their journey on foot. So many places had now been set on fire, and there were so many camps of creatures all across Hyrule Field, that the sky was getting dark again due to the thick clouds of smoke and the proximity of sundown. This made things harder for them, as the layer of smoke was so dense that they barely had any light. Also, they were now feeling small droplets of rain, so they sprinted forward in order to find refuge.

They made it to a cave and entered quickly, just as rain started to come down on them. Taglo lit up a small fire and they cooked some fish that the Sheikah had given them. After their hurried diner, Taglo and Laila had fallen asleep, the latter on top of Link's hat, which he had removed minutes before and tossed it in a corner. Oreana mounted first guard and played a melody in her lyre at the entrance of the cave.

"That's a beautiful tune," said Link while approaching her and sitting by her side.

"Thank you," replied Oreana with a sad smile. "My mother taught me to play the lyre when I was a child, as it was custom to Sheikah to play at least one instrument. She used to sing this melody to me when I was going to sleep; it's called: The Ballad of the Windfish."

"It's beautiful," said Link. Oreana smiled at him. "I'd like to hear it," he said, leaning on the rock behind him.

Oreana started with a soft arpeggio and pulled the proper strings. Link felt how the melody soothed him as he relaxed with each note. He closed his eyes all along until Oreana played the last beat. When he looked at her again, he noticed that she was smiling at him. He smiled back, but she turned around and watched the rain still falling outside.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"Everything is wrong," she replied. Link leaned to look at her and saw tears rolling down her cheeks. "Hyrule is burning, darkness is trying to cover the entire land, people close to us and that we care about keep dying, evil creatures roam around the fields, each day that goes by Garoth is closer to conquering the world, and we're here in a cave sleeping and playing music."

"Oreana..." said Link, holding her hand. She gently pulled it away and wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry Link... but this is too hard for me..."

"I know, my father was just killed, remember?"

"I... I know. I'm sorry," she said.

After an awkward silence, Link reached inside of his satchel and took out the map o Hyrule that they had been examining back at the Hidden Village. Oreana helped him mark the way to the passage that she had shown him and all along they kept teasing and joking until the mood lightened again.

After a few minutes, she turned to look at him again and held his hand. Then she looked at the rain again and Link noticed how she was starting to blush. "Link, about the other day... at the graveyard, I mean, I'm sorry... you were vulnerable and I..."

"Don't worry," said Link, "I got carried away and..."

They stayed silent for a few second. When they both made a gesture to speak Oreana blushed and turned the other way.

"Oreana," started Link, "I... I just..."

"You just what, Link?" insisted Oreana, turning back to him, her bright green eyes piercing Link's. She was once more inches away, so Link could almost feel her breathing.

"I..." he stuttered.

There was then a flash of lighting and a thunder roared outside. Taglo and Laila woke up startled and Oreana jerked back from her steady approach.

"What in the name of the Gods was that?" asked Taglo.

"Just a thunder," said Link.

"Nearly gave me a heart attack," murmured Taglo, and he went back to his sleep.

"Everything OK, Link?" asked Laila, seeing the sour look on his eyes.

"Yes, everything OK," he replied. Laila nodded and lay down again to sleep.

Oreana was looking outside again, expressionless as she gazed into the rain.

"Oreana..." began Link.

"Get some sleep, Link," said Oreana, giving him a faint insecure smile.

"I will," replied Link. He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss in her cheek.

Oreana sat there in silence for a while; then, she began playing her lyre again as she felt a mixture of sadness, fear, frustration and something she couldn't really identify boiling inside of her. A few hours later, she felt her eyelids grow heavy and, without helping it, she fell asleep.

She woke up in the morning as she felt someone shaking her. She opened her eyes and sat up in surprise as she saw Taglo crouching next to her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"It's Link," sate Taglo with a stern voice. "He left."

* * *

><p>Link was about to cross the Great Bridge of Hylia. He looked back and felt a heavy weight on him. He had awoken a couple hours before sunrise and had seen his friends sleeping, and he knew that whatever he would find ahead it would be too dangerous for him to drag them along. Taglo had gone through a great loss recently; and Oreana... Link wasn't sure of what was going on.<p>

As he crossed the bridge he thought about the recent events. Despite the fact that they had only known each other for a few days, he really liked her; she was very pretty, brave and also a fierce warrior. They had endured a dangerous trial when they had climbed together the long way to Zora's Domain, and she had taken care of him when he had been injured.

All of these reasons had made him reach the decision of leaving, knowing that Oreana felt the same for him, hence unable to accept dragging her into this forsaken place. All of the people he cared about were now in danger, and he couldn't risk dragging her, or even Taglo, along with him.

Link reached the other side of the bridge and looked in the direction that the map he had taken showed the secret entrance to the Barrens. He looked back and Laila fluttered in front of him.

"Link, you made the right choice," she said. "The Gods will look after them."

"I know," he replied. He then turned around and looked at the black cloud that covered the Barrens and, after a few seconds, he sprinted forward.

* * *

><p>"He took the bow and the silver arrows," said Taglo. "And the bombs."<p>

They were now running across the wet field, trying to catch up with Link before he reached the entrance of the passage into the Barrens. As soon as they had realized that Link was gone, they had gathered their things and left the cavern as fast as they could.

"He told me that he wanted to go alone," said Oreana. She was the one that had been affected the most by Link's departure.

They encountered a couple of bokoblins on the way and quickly disposed of them. Not so long after, they reached a small bokoblin camp, but they had all been slain already.

"I think Link was here," said Taglo.

"These bokoblins were killed less than an hour ago," said Oreana, crouching next to one and examining it. "If we try to quicken our pace we should be able to catch up with him."

They climbed up a hill and looked into the distance; the Great Bridge of Hylia could be seen still far ahead.

* * *

><p>Link was examining the rocky wall. He was trying to find anything unusual on it, something that could hint the presence of the tunnel, but so far he had been unlucky. He sat down and examined the map one more time.<p>

"It's supposed to be somewhere around here," he said.

"Uhmm, Link?" said Laila.

"I don't understand. According to the map it should be very close to this position."

"Link!" yelled Laila.

"What?" he asked and, as he turned around, he saw Laila hovering next to a small eye-shaped stone plate. "What's that?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it's called a 'blind lock', for it is said that it will only allow you to pass when it has been blinded."

"And how am I supposed to...?" began asking Link; however, an idea suddenly came to his mind. He pulled out the bow, stringed an arrow, and shot straight into the eye.

When the arrow sunk into the eye's pupil, the stone eyelid closed and the ground began to shake. Link saw in surprise as a section of the wall began sinking into the ground, revealing a wide entrance to a dark tunnel. Laila fluttered inside a couple of feet and then looked at Link.

"Well, I guess this is why we're here, aren't we?" he said and, as he drew out his sword and shield, they both ventured into the dark passage.

* * *

><p>Garoth knelt climbed up onto his horse and galloped back into the desert. He had already set things in motion for the resurrection ritual, and the Hero wouldn't be able to do anything. As he galloped across the sands, his cloak going ablaze, he thought about the spirit of Eldin, still locked in the Forsaken Fortress, and how only the Barrens and the Eldin Province were still covered in darkness.<p>

"He won't defeat my Master," he thought.

Inside the fortress, deep inside of the biggest chamber under it, the small orb with the golden triangle of light inside was glowing intensely, sensing the proximity of its rightful owner.


	28. INTO THE BARRENS

**A/N: aaaaand classes are back on u_u... as much as this doesn't directy affect me (I'm no longer in school! xD) it does affect some of my readers (that sucks!), therefore I understand that they won't be able to read as fast as they usually can. In the past few days I've been updating at speeds that could easily compare with feeding Epona with 5 boosting carrot, but that was because you were all capable of reading fast enough; however, starting on this chapter, I'd like to keep the suspense in the air, so I'm going to be updating every 4 reviews (that ain't much :D, it's about the average amount of constant reviewers that I'm getting. Oh, and multiple reviewing by the same user is considered cheating! xD). That way I will have the certainty that you have read the chapter and are ready for more Darkness.**

* * *

><p>The Forsaken Wastelands, also known as The Barrens, formerly the Gerudo Desert, was one of the most inhospitable places in the land of Hyrule. It was the home to many deadly creatures and it housed the great tribe of female thieves, the Gerudo. Only one single man was born every hundred years from this tribe, and he was considered to be King of the Thieves.<p>

Since the defeat of Ganondorf by the Hero of Twilight so many ages ago, the King decreed that the Arbiter's Grounds, where the door into the Twilight Realm, the Mirror of Twilight, had once rested, was to be destroyed; also, he ordered the construction of a large wall around the perimeter to prevent the Gerudo from ever being able to get out again to find men to breed.

Nevertheless, the Gerudo knew of a secret passage that led into the fields, unknown by the King, and they continued using it to get out of the desert and, disguised as peasant girls or servants they mated with men of the Hylian Aristocracy; however, no boy was ever born.

Ages passed, and the Gerudo were soon to be considered legend. Stories about monsters living behind the wall were told as scary tales by the campfires and very few believed that the Gerudo had actually existed, and nobody ever guessed what was really going on deep inside the Barrens.

One day, the remaining Gerudo that still lived in hiding inside the wall made in important discovery: the ruins of an old fortress, the tunnel that led to the entrance blocked by a rock slide, which could have happened centuries ago. They got to the fortress and began exploring it until they found a wall that had the emblem of the Royal Family engraved onto it. Attempts to bring down the wall soon commenced.

Darkness began to stir in the Barrens again, and some of the Gerudo started to tell stories of a dark specter, riding a black horse, covered in a mantle of fire. Soon, the elder of the Gerudo announced that the specter was the Emissary of Darkness, and that he had appeared to make way for his Master to rise once more.

It took the Gerudo many days to finally get through the wall and, as soon as they did, they realized that the room inside was colossal, lit by torches all around it, with something that looked like a black stone coffin in the middle. The elder was notified about the finding and she personally asked to see it. When she was in front of it she knelt and cried, knowing that their time to come out of hiding had arrived, for the tomb of Lord Ganondorf had been found.

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><p>Link felt weary along the way. Somehow, he felt as if the air was heavier with each step he gave. Laila was also feeling the effects of the atmosphere and had to make a big effort to continue fluttering ahead.<p>

"I think we should stop for a moment," Link told her. "You need a break."

"I'm OK," she said, but Link noticed how her glow began to fade.

"No you're not, and neither am I," he said. "There is something wicked about this place."

Link dropped his satchel and tried to light up a fire with no success. The atmosphere inside the tunnel seemed to be so heavy that he wasn't able to get a spark. He sat back against the rock and closed his eyes. He started to wonder what he would find when he finally reached the exit of the tunnel: monsters, maybe more Gerudo thieves. How did the desert look? What kind of creatures would he find in the Forsaken Fortress?

After a couple of minutes of resting, he and Laila decided to keep going, so he picked up his things and resumed his journey, led by his companion fairy who was still lighting the way.

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><p>Taglo and Oreana reached the Great Bridge of Hylia when the sun was still high in the sky, though they barely got any sunlight due to the thick cloud of smoke. The black shroud over the barrens twirled menacing in the distance and all around them they could feel the cloud that came from beneath them, for Lake Town was now completely on fire.<p>

They were so blinded by the smoke that they didn't even see the moblin until it was almost on top of them. The creature was clad in a heavy armor and had a thick iron mace on its hand. Taglo drew out one of his swords and Oreana raised her crossbow, but it swung the club and hit both Sheikah in the chest, sending them flying a few meters, making them drop their weapons. Oreana crashed against the wall along the edge of the bridge, while Taglo hit it and went over.

Oreana screamed as she stood up and reached for his hand, preventing him from falling, but the moblin came back toward them.

"Oreana, let go!" said Taglo.

"No!" yelled Oreana, tears coming to her eyes.

"Go get Link," he replied calmly, as he wriggled his hand releasing it from her grasp.

"NOOOO!" yelled Oreana, as she saw Taglo disappear into the cloud of smoke below.

She heard the moblin approaching, reached for her crossbow and shot a single bolt, which pierced the moblin's leg. She reloaded and shot again, piercing its arm. The moblin screamed in pain and raised its mace, but Oreana saw one of Taglo's swords lying in the ground, grabbed it while she rolled toward the moblin and jumped, slashing the air with the blade. She landed right behind the moblin, who stood still for a few seconds and then fell forward, bleeding through a deep cut in the throat. She stood there for a few seconds, her vision blurred by her tears. When she managed to pull herself back together she fashioned a scabbard for the sword using some of the leather from the moblin's clothing and sheathed the sword, recovered the bolts from the corpse, picked up her things and, without turning back, headed toward the secret passage.

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><p>When Link first got out of the tunnel, he actually thought it had taken him all day long to cross it; however, he soon remembered that the darkness surrounding him was due to the black cloud that twirled in the sky above.<p>

"Laila, I think you should rest now," he told the fairy.

"I'm Ok," she replied faintly.

"No you're not," replied Link. "Please rest for a while."

The fairy agreed and hid inside of his hat while he assessed his surroundings. He was in the middle of a rocky depression, so he started to climb up the cliff and the desert was revealed to him: emptiness anywhere he looked. The Barrens seemed to be a sea of dunes and dark shadows. He looked above and tried to find something that could point him in the right direction, and managed to see that the center of the vortex of clouds seemed to be located toward the northwestern side of the desert. Guessing that the Forsaken Fortress would be located right under it he gave a few steps forward.

He hadn't advanced more than four feet when small funnels began to form in the sand, and spiked green cactus-like creatures with four sharp pincers on top began to emerge from them, spinning and wiggling their bodies while they approached Link. He swung his sword and started to chop them one by one, but the more he killed the more they appeared. Laila sensed his distress and came out from his hat, saw the creatures that he was trying to kill and spoke up:

"Link, those are leevers," she explained, "they burrow under the sand and attack you when you approach. You must kill them all at once!"

"And how am I supposed to…?" began asking Link, but he suddenly remembered his training with Taglo. He sheathed his sword, concentrated all of his energy in his hands and the Triforce began to glow, he punched the sand with all his strength and a fiery expansive wave of fire emerged from him, burning every leever that surrounded him.

Link saw how the creatures writhed in flames and then stayed still, burning down to ashes after being hit by the Din's Fire cast by Link. He gasped for air as he tried to recover from the attack and motioned Laila to hide again. Once she complied, he kept advancing further into the dunes.

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><p>Zurlo, the Zora priest, was in Lanayru's shrine inside of the Water Sanctuary. After having been restored to its former glory, he had been able to go back to communing with the spirit. He was praying by the altar when he heard the voice of Joy, the Kokiri priestess from the forest, speaking to him in his mind:<p>

_"He reached the Barrens,"_ she said. _"He's getting closer."_

_"I know,"_ replied Zurlo. _"Once Eldin has been released from his prison and returned to his shrine in the Eldin spring in Kakariko Village we will be able to restore the Heart of Light."_

_"And Link will finally be able to get the Master Sword,"_ replied Joy.

_"Will he?"_ asked Zurlo. _"I'm having my doubts about that."_

_"Why?"_ asked Joy in surprise.

_"Don't tell me you haven't felt it,"_ replied Zurlo. _"Something very bad has happened, and I'm not sure Link has even started to understand this change of events."_

_"Are you saying that…" _started Joy.

_"Yes,"_ interrupted Zurlo, _"I am…"_

Joy kept her silence.

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><p>Oreana was looking into the tunnel entrance, the darkness inside sending chills through her spine. She raised her crossbow and squinted into the darkness, her Sheikah eyes slowly adjusting to the lack of light. She wasn't able to see as clearly as she could outside, but at least she wouldn't be tripping or bumping into walls. What actually worried her most was to be able to see any enemies that could try to take her by surprise.<p>

She couldn't know how far Link had gone into the tunnel, or if he was already in the Barrens. The only thing that she could possibly ask the Gods was that she was able to find him before he entered the Forsaken Fortress. She kept going for a few minutes until she started to feel her breathing heavy. Trying hard to gasp for air, she sat down for a moment. She closed her eyes and the memories that she had been trying to suppress for the last days came back to her in a flash: Link's arrival at the Stinky Pike's Inn, the attack in the dining room, the climb toward Zora's River, Garoth's voice announcing his death, the destruction of Lake Town, Link arriving to Faron Village, the graveyard, Taglo falling from the bridge.

Her heart started to ache and tears came to her eyes. She had known, since before she started her training, that her destiny would one day be entwined with the Hero's, for that was what the oracle had told her that day in Lake Town. She had only been twelve then, just a small girl, when she had found herself entering a small business on her way back home from school:

_"Ah, yes. I knew you would come one day," said the oracle. She was a very young woman, to Oreana's surprise, maybe in her mid-thirties, dressed in a purple cloak complete with hood. She had light brown eyes and had golden eye shadows. She seemed to be very normal, so eventually the girl was shocked by this revelation._

_"How could you know?" asked Oreana._

_"The fabric of destiny is a collection of so many threads, woven together in strange patterns that many can't even begin to understand, my child," replied the oracle. "However, if you manage to grasp the knowledge of your own fate's tapestry, then you will be able to follow the road into the right end."_

_Oreana stared at the oracle in shock. She had no idea of what the oracle had said, except that it was something about a tapestry and destiny. Without even realizing, she had found herself sitting in front of the oracle, who was now smiling warmly at her._

_"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean," admitted Oreana sheepishly. "I'm just a girl. I don't know anything about tapestries, threads or fabrics. I can't even sew a loose button on my shirt!" Her voce trembled a bit in nervousness._

_"My child," said the Oracle, smiling while holding Oreana's hands, "your bloodline is that of the Sheikah, a tribe so ancient that there is none alive to trace it back to its origins. Your fate is entwined with the fate of Hyrule, and your path has been laid down by the Gods."_

_Oreana gasped in shock and jerked back her hands. Nobody in town knew that she was a descendant from the Sheikah, not even her father had known, before he died in that accident in Kakariko Village when she was only two. Her mother had taken her to Lake Town to start a new life, away from the sad memories of their loss, when she was four and nobody knew about their linage._

_"I see that you are frightened about my knowledge, my dear," said the oracle in a soft voice, "but I assure you that you have nothing to fear, for your secret is safe."_

_Oreana slowly backed away, trying to find the doorknob with her hand. The oracle stood up and walked toward her, knelt in front of her and held her hands again._

_"My child, you will be of great importance to Hyrule, as the threads of your destiny are woven together with those of the one who will one day be the hope of our land. You must grow to be a fierce warrior and, when you meet him, you will be the one chosen to help him in carrying the weight of all people of Hyrule."_

_The oracle kissed her hands and stood up. Oreana saw her walk toward another door, which was covered by a red curtain, and go through it without saying another word. She waited for a few seconds, but the oracle never reappeared so she eventually left._

Oreana never saw the oracle again, but her words stayed in her memory for all these years. She started her training in secret as soon as she turned fifteen, being her own mother who taught her all the necessary skills to be a Sheikah. When Link entered the inn that day in Lake Town, she knew that the prophecy was about to become real; however, she had also felt something else, something that even now she couldn't really begin to understand.

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><p>Link thought he saw a flickering light ahead. He pulled out the bow, stringed an arrow and crouched. He began walking as slowly as he could, trying to get a glimpse of the source. He managed to see a small camp about a hundred yards away. There were about ten Gerudo sitting around a small campfire, and he could see a few tents forming a half moon perimeter. One of the thieves, the leader maybe, was showing the rest of them something in her hand, some sort of ornamented mask. She put it on her face and started to look around. Then, she said something to the one next to her, who quickly stood up and entered one of the tents.<p>

Link saw the Gerudo exit the canopy a few seconds later, carrying a small bird in her arm; she let the bird go and it soared up into the sky. He ignored the bird and kept watching at the camp. Soon, all of the thieves entered their tents and Link heard the shriek of an eagle above him. He looked up and saw the bird that the Gerudo had released flying in circles a few meters above his head; he also saw a Gerudo thief, smiling at him before hitting him in the head with the butt of a crossbow, and everything went black.

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><p><strong>AN: hey! guess what! I already have the epilogue to this story! :D It came to me in a dream, isn't that ironic? xD (yeah, I've been so immersed in writing this story that I've actually been having dreams regarding it). See ya' in 4 reviews! :-D**


	29. THE THIEVES' HIDEOUT - PART I

**A/N: Ok, I know I said four reviews, but as the story got its tenth follower today I guess I can celebrate by cutting it to three :-D... OMG! GETTING CLOSER TO THE CONFRONTATION WITH GAROTH!**

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><p>Oreana exited the tunnel after what she had felt like hours of walking in the shadows. She climbed out of the depression where she found herself to be and looked around. The first thing she noticed was the remains of a few scorched creatures not too far ahead and the blackened sand, as if a blast of fire had burnt everything on its way. <em>"Link!"<em> she thought, and sprinted forward in that direction. There was no wind, so a set of footprints could be clearly seen in the dunes.

She followed the footprints for a few minutes until she got to a dune where a new set of smaller footprints joined those of Link's. The strange thing was that, from that point, it was only one set of small footprints and two trails behind, like if someone had been dragged away. She looked into the distance and saw a small campfire. Crouching and trying hard to stay out of view, she saw that the Gerudo camping ahead were laughing while they packed up their tents into several horses. One of the animals was also carrying a large bulge, wrapped in a fabric and tied up firmly, a pair of boots sticking out from one end.

Oreana covered her mouth with her hands, gasping in horror, as she saw another Gerudo flinging Link's Hylian Shield and his sword onto his back, while another Gerudo examined his bow and the Silver Arrows. She stood there until they finally started to walk away, pulling their mounts by the rains. She followed them as silent as she could.

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><p>"We have him, my Lord," said the Gerudo who was kneeling in front of Garoth back in the throne room of the Castle. A small eagle was perched on her shoulder.<p>

"Good," said Garoth with a smirk. "Keep close watch on him, I will soon go to the Fortress to witness my Master's awakening. My Master will be pleased to personally kill the boy."

"My Lord, there is something else," said the Gerudo.

"What?" asked Garoth.

"He had the Silver Arrows with him," said the Gerudo, bowing her head.

Garoth looked at her, his expression blank. He knew that the Silver Arrows were a treasure that had long since been considered lost. How this boy could have gotten his hands on them?

"Destroy them," he said in a low voice.

"We… we tried, my Lord," murmured the Gerudo. "We even tried to smelt them, but they didn't even heat up. There is no way we can destroy it."

"You can't, but I do. Keep them locked in the vault and don't let anyone get near. Take everything he had on him into the vault." He turned around and then he added. "Noora, don't keep anything for yourselves. If you do, I will know."

Garoth heard the Gerudo leave the throne room and stood there for a few minutes. The boy had gone too far; he really needed to find a way to stop him quickly. He started to think if he should have ordered Noora to execute him as soon as possible, however he knew that it would please his Master to be the one who personally killed the Hero and snatched the Triforce of Courage from his hand. Also, there was the Triforce of Wisdom, which rested on the Princess's Hand, but that one was already secured. He quickly exited the throne room and headed to the stables to get his horse. Maybe it would be better if he went on his way.

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><p>Link woke up with the greatest headache ever. He felt his arms sore, stretched to both sides, shackles on his wrists and ankles holding him in place to a wall. He felt the cold stone wall on his back and he opened his eyes, realizing that he had been almost entirely stripped down. His green tunic, hat and chest plate had been removed, as well as his shirt, chainmail, and wrist pads; he was now chained to a dark stone bricked wall wearing only his leggings. He looked around, trying to find Laila, fearing that the Gerudo could have done something to her.<p>

The room where he was kept was dark, and there was only one small barred window above him; there was a windowless iron door on one side, and a foul smell could be sensed all around him. He wriggled trying to break free, but soon he gave up. He tried to remember what had happened: he had been hit on the head by a Gerudo; when he woke up, he had found himself tied inside of a room; another Gerudo had beaten him hard, making him to lose consciousness again. He looked at his body and saw the bruises and cuts all over his arms and torso. He had no idea of how he would do it, but he had to get out of there. He closed his eyes again in pain, and soon he fell unconscious.

* * *

><p>Oreana jerked back the sword from the Gerudo in front of her. The thief fell dead on the floor, bleeding through the wound on her chest, and Oreana looked around to verify that nobody had seen or heard their struggle. She had managed to infiltrate the hideout by killing a Gerudo guard and putting on the thief's cloak, and now she was trying hard to find wherever they were keeping Link. She leaned against the wall and peeked around a corner, just in time to be bumped in the face by a small glowing winged body.<p>

"Ah!" gasped Oreana.

"Ouch!" yelled Laila.

"Laila?" asked Oreana, opening her eyes wide.

"Oreana!" said the fairy.

They heard voices and the sounds of hurried footsteps going their way through the corridor, so Oreana motioned Laila to hid inside of her cloak an ran in the opposite direction. She found an empty room and hid inside. Laila then came out of her hiding place.

"Oreana, I know that I was a pain in the butt when I first met you and sometimes I still don't like you much," she said in a hurried whisper. "But girl, how pleased am I to see you."

"I appreciate your honesty," said Oreana, "and I do feel like sometimes you're a nuisance, but I am pleased to see you too."

The two of them giggled nervously for a few seconds, trying hard not to be heard, and then Oreana went serious and spoke up again:

"Laila, I'm trying to find Link."

"I know, and I will help you," said Laila. "Oreana, Link is not well. Something is happening to him and I'm not sure what. Also, he's been beaten very badly by the Gerudo, and a few minutes ago I heard the leader saying that they would wait for Garoth to come."

"Garoth is coming here?" asked Oreana in shock. "Laila, we must get Link out, quickly!"

"I know where he is, but we won't be able to pull him out until we've found the key to the door of his cell," said the fairy. "I know where the guard keeps the key, so let's hurry up."

Oreana opened the door while drawing out the sword and peeked outside. Seeing that the corridor was empty, she exited and Laila fluttered ahead of her. They reached a crossing and she heard the voice of a Gerudo calling her: "HEY, YOU! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

The sound of the thief's voice, and a sword unsheathing, made Oreana turn around quickly. She parried the blow with her own sword and spun in one foot, kicking the guard on her side. The Gerudo fell with a shriek of pain and then stood up quickly performing a cartwheel. Oreana blocked another strike and slashed with her sword, barely scratching the guard's belly. When the soldier bent down in pain, she kicked her in the head and the Gerudo fell unconscious.

Oreana turned around and an arrow flew whizzing by her ear. She crouched and pulled out her crossbow, aimed forward and pulled the trigger. The Gerudo fell backwards when the bolt hit her in the chest and dropped the bow. Laila fluttered in that direction and Oreana followed her hurriedly.

"Laila…" started Oreana, "isn't this Link's bow?"

"Yes, it is!" replied the fairy.

Oreana picked it up and saw the quiver hanging from the dead Gerudo's belt. She retrieved it, recovered her bolt and hung the bow and quiver on her back.

"They took his things," she said. "Let's just hope they didn't… LAILA!" yelled Oreana.

"What!?" yelled back Laila, scared by the sudden shout.

"Laila, this means that they got hold of the Silver Arrows and the Ocarina of Time!"

"Oh, yeah, I saw them taking Link's stuff into a vault somewhere," explained Laila. "Fortunately, they don't seem to grasp the importance of what Link had on him."

"Better if it stays like that," said Oreana. "Come on, we should keep moving."

Oreana followed Laila through the corridor until they reached a wooden door with a small barred window. She crouched behind it and tried to listen to the voices on the other side:

"I think you went a bit over the edge this time," said one of the Gerudo soldiers in the room.

"I just thought I could have some fun, that's all," replied another. "He's going to die after all so, why not? Anyways, I already shackled him and locked him inside the cell."

"If he had died you would have been in big trouble," said a third one. Oreana started to count in her head how many different voices she managed to identify.

"But he didn't, okay?" said the second one. "And what is so important about his things that we can't even touch them? He has a big wallet full of rupees in his satchel, why can't we keep those?"

"You know our orders, now give me those keys," said the first one. Oreana heard the clinking of keys and the Gerudo spoke again. "Visiting time is over."

"No it's not," said Oreana, barging into the room with her crossbow raised.

The three women inside reached for their weapons, but Oreana shot one in the head and drew out her sword. She parried a strike from a second Gerudo and cut her hand with one swift move; she then grabbed Link's bow, while the now crippled Gerudo cried in pain holding her stump, and shot an arrow straight through the remaining thief's chest.

Oreana stood there, silence broken only by the injured Gerudo's cries and moans of pain, and then grabbed the keys which had been dropped on the floor. She then looked at the cripple in contempt and pointed at her with the sword:

"Where is Link?" she asked. When the Gerudo didn't respond, she poked her in the temple with the sword. "Where… is… your… prisoner?" she asked, phrasing carefully each word.

"You won't stop Lord Garoth," answered the Gerudo, still whimpering.

"Wrong answer," replied Oreana, and she hit the Gerudo in the temple with the butt of the sword, rendering her unconscious.

"Oreana?" started Laila.

"Yes?" replied Oreana.

"Would you please remind me never to piss you off?" said the fairy.

Oreana smiled and exited the room, making sure she closed the door behind her. She wasn't really sure what had gotten into her; she had always been a good warrior, but after recent events she had become fiercer than ever before. She looked down the corridor and turned to look at Laila again.

"Now, let's go get Link," she told the fairy.

"Yes, this way. Follow me!" replied Laila, as she fluttered away.

They followed the corridor for a few minutes and encountered a lone Gerudo guard, whom Oreana quickly disposed with her crossbow. A few minutes later, three Gerudo ambushed them, but Oreana was able to get rid of them, only not without suffering a scratch on her left cheek and a cut in her leg by one of the Gerudo's scimitars.

"You want me to heal that?" asked Laila kindly.

"No, really, thanks Laila," replied Oreana with a smile. "Keep your strength, Link may need you more than I do."

The fairy nodded in agreement and they resumed their journey through the hideout, as silent as they could, until Laila finally stopped and peeked around a corner. She then fluttered back toward Oreana and, when she spoke, she did in such a feint whisper that even Oreana was barely capable of hearing:

"The cell is around this corner, but there are about five guards by the door."

"That won't be a problem," replied Oreana. "How far away is the door?"

"About fifty feet away from here," replied Laila.

"Piece of cake," said Oreana. She loaded a bolt in her crossbow and gently put it on the floor. She then stringed an arrow in the bow, took a deep breath and rolled into view.

The first Gerudo to see her was the first to die, the long shaft of Oreana's arrow protruding from her chest. Oreana then reached for her crossbow, aimed and killed another guard. She was able to kill a third one with another arrow before they were too close for her to have time to reload, so she drew out the sword and she braced for the attack from the remaining two guards.

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><p>Link wasn't sure if he was in a dream or if he was actually awake, but he was sure he could hear noises outside his cell. His eyelids were too heavy to open them, and his arms were now aching because of being hanging there for so long. He heard a racket of loud voices outside his door and a few grunts. He was sure there was also a clash of swords, and he tried to stay awake, wondering what was going on, but he didn't feel strong enough.<p>

_ "Where are you, Laila?"_ he asked in his mind. _"Oreana… I'm sorry…"_ he thought before losing consciousness again.

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><p><strong>AN: cliffhanger! sort of xD... see you in three reviews! yes, only three... I don't ask much more :)**


	30. THE THIEVES' HIDEOUT - PART II

**A/N: I really had NO idea that I had reviews pending to be moderated before being added. That explains a lot! xD As for your review Joy, my dear Kokiri Priestess, NO! I'm not including 'naughty' stuff here! (besides, aren't you a bit young to be hinting me to sneak some of that, especially with a '*-*' face? xD). Besides, after assessing the rating of the story I figured out that as long as I don't describe the violence/blood scenes in a walking-dead-style there is no reason why it shouldn't be kept as 'T', so I downrated it agan (also, I noticed that being rated M made it disappear from the front page TT_TT).  
><strong>

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><p>Oreana stood by the last Gerudo until she expired. The whole corridor was a mess, and her clothes were stained with the blood of the foes she had defeated so far. When she was sure that the coast was clear she pulled out the keys from her Sheikah satchel and inserted it in the lock. She turned the key and heard the loud mechanism of the door unlocking.<p>

When she opened the door she saw a dark room and a foul smell of rotten flesh drifted from inside. Oreana stepped inside and Laila fluttered by her, heading further into the room. When Laila's glow illuminated the farthest wall, Oreana gasped and covered her mouth, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

Link was chained to the wall with rusty shackles that held him with his limbs spread like an 'X'. He was virtually naked, except for the leggings which were ripped and stained with his blood where the Gerudo had cut him. His muscled torso was shiny with sweat and dark purplish bruises could be seen all over it, as well as a few cuts here and there.

Oreana approached slowly and stroked his hair, which was full of dirt and blood, lifted his face and saw that one of the eyes was now blackened.

"Link..." whispered Oreana while sobbing.

"Oreana, see if one of the keys opens the shackles," suggested Laila in a soft voice. Link murmured something unintelligible.

"Link!" yelled Oreana. "Link... talk to me!"

"Tara..." murmured Link half coming to his senses.

Oreana's face went blank and she closed her eyes. She hurriedly unlocked the shackles, feet first and then his hands, and caught him as he fell forward.

"Link..." murmured Laila.

"Uh...?" said Link. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Oreana's face, very close to his own, a sad look in her eyes. "Oreana...?"

"Link..." replied Oreana slowly turning her face away with tears in her eyes.

Link's reaction took her by surprise, as he held her in her arms in a deep embrace. She gasped in shock and Laila made an effort to smile. Oreana slowly returned the gesture and Link opened his eyes, just in time to see a Gerudo pointing at them with Oreana's crossbow, which she had left on the floor outside.

The bolt was shot and Oreana opened her eyes wide. Link had pushed her aside and the bolt sank into his abdomen. Oreana grabbed her sword and ran at the Gerudo, stabbing her in the chest. Going back to Link, she removed the bolt and nodded at Laila, who started to give a soft pink glow while she fluttered in circles around Link.

Oreana noticed how Link's wounds slowly started to disappear, and his skin recovered its healthy color. He opened his eyes just as Laila's glow became weaker and the fairy, having fulfilled her duty, quickly hid in Oreana's cloak to recover her strength.

"Oreana?" asked Link, as he opened his eyes and sat up fully restored.

"Are you ok?" asked Oreana, standing up and offering him a hand.

"Like if I had been run over by a wild boar, but besides from that I'm ok," said Link with a wink and a smile. "Thanks Oreana, I owe..."

Oreana's strong slap left his ears ringing and a stinging sensation on the left cheek. He felt his eyes water due to the pain and held up a hand, placing it on his throbbing face.

"What in the name of the Gods was that for!?" he asked.

"THAT'S FOR LEAVING US BEHIND, LIKE IF WE WERE HEAVY BAGGAGE TO YOU!" screamed Oreana at the top of her lungs. Another slap which now made Link stumble a bit. "And that is for being such a jackass!" she yelled. "Now let's go, Hero. WE have a world to save. Let's go find your clothes. Being naked doesn't really make you look heroic, does it?" She tossed him Taglo's sword and left him confused, while she picked up her crossbow and whatever bolts she could.

"Wait!" he exited the cell and stood behind her. "Oreana, wait," he repeated while he grabbed her hand. She turned around with a hard look on her face which Link had never seen before. "Taglo... Oreana, where is Taglo?" Realization downed on him when another tear rolled down Oreana's cheek.

"He's dead, alright? Now let's go."

Link stood there for a few seconds and then ran after her. He was being overrun by guilt as he thought about his dead friend. He shook his head in despair and followed Oreana through the corridor.

"I heard something about a vault," she said. "I'm quite sure that's where they are keeping your things."

"HEY YOU! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

They turned around in time to see two Gerudo running toward them. Link struck the first one with his sword and Oreana disposed of the second with her crossbow. Link noticed that the two thieves had been keeping guard of a staircase that led down.

"Oreana, if you were a thief and were trying to hide a vault full of treasures, where would you keep it?" he asked with a smirk, trying to force some humor into her. Seeing that she didn't react, he dropped the smile and pointed down the corridor.

Oreana nodded and they went on their way, following the staircase one step at a time. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter any enemies on their way, but when they reached the bottom of the stairs Link saw a single armored statue looking straight at him from a stone chair in the middle of the room. He saw the door of the vault right behind it.

"Oreana," said Link, "stand back. It's a darknut, leave it to..."

"Link," said Oreana in a voice so icily sweet that he felt chills going down his spine, "I just faced a whole hideout full of Gerudo on my own to rescue you. I think I've damn capable of fighting this thing."

Link nodded and they both approached the darknut, which stood up and started advancing toward them.

"I will try to distract him," said Oreana. "You're the one with the sword after all."

Link nodded and they both went different ways. He watched as Oreana grabbed a jar from the floor tossing it at the darknut's helmet.

"Hey, you, tin head!" she yelled.

The darknut turned toward her and raised its broad bladed sword. Oreana pressed against the wall and the darknut swung its weapon forward, but she gracefully dodged it. The blade sunk into the wall and got stuck there, so Link took the chance and ran at toward the darknut, jumped into the air, grabbed hold of the armor's helmet and sunk the sword into the neck.

If it had been an actual living soldier inside, the blow would have certainly killed him; unfortunately, this was not the case. The darknut released his sword and tried to reach Link, who retrieved the sword and dropped into the ground. The darknut grabbed his weapon and pulled it free from the wall and turned around to face Link again.

Oreana had been watching Link's struggle against the darknut and noticed something peculiar: when Link sunk the sword into the darknut's neck, a small red gem had started to glow on its chest.

"Link!" she yelled. "I know what to do! Just try stabbing him again just like before!"

He nodded and, when the darknut sung its sword forward again, he rolled under its legs. The blade got stuck on the floor and Link took the chance, as the darknut bent forward to retrieve it, and jumped into its back again.

"Now!" yelled Oreana, as she raised her crossbow.

Link sunk the blade once more into the darknut's neck and, when it stood up to try to grab hold of Link, Oreana shot at the red glowing gem. Upon impact, the gem started to fire beams of light, and Link pulled out the sword and performed a somersault, landing right in front of it and stabbing it with a single thrust right through the gem.

Piece by piece, the darknut's armor started to crumble until it was nothing more than a mound of iron plates on the floor. Link walked toward Oreana with a broad smile on his face, which quickly faded when she simply nodded and walked past him. She pulled out the keys that she had taken from the guards before and unlocked the vault.

Link walked up to her and helped her open the door of the vault. Inside they saw a mess of old treasures and stolen goods, a few treasure chests, old maps and pieces of parchment littering the floor and, sitting against the wall, a medium sized shield.

The shield caught Link's attention, for it was shiny on its surface, polished to the point of resembling a large mirror, with a dark red frame. The mirror surface was adorned with strange symbols, amongst which Link recognized the emblem of the Gerudo. He noticed how the polished surface gave a slightly iridescent effect when the light of the torches hanging from the wall was reflected on it.

"Link, I found your things," said Oreana.

"Great, thanks," replied Link. "I think I'm keeping this shield. It might be handy, don't you think?"

"If you say so," replied Oreana emotionless.

Link looked at her with worry and walked up to her. He looked inside the chest she had opened and saw all of his things inside. A few minutes later, he had put on his green tunic over his shirt and chain mail. His chest plate that Mr. Regol had given him was again covering his torso, and he was once again completely geared up.

Link opened his satchel and saw in relief that all of his items were there, including the precious Ocarina of Time. He hung the sword from his belt and the quiver on his back. Oreana gave him the bow and he found the Silver Arrows deep inside the chest.

"Are we really this lucky, that everything is still here?" asked Link when they had finished sweeping the place. He grabbed the Hylian shield and looked at Oreana for a second before handing it to her. "Here, take it. I'll keep the mirror shield."

"Thanks," replied Oreana, taking the shield and hanging it from her back. Link flung the mirror shield over his shoulder and they both exited the vault.

"Link?" Laila reappeared from within Oreana's robes. She seemed to have recovered her strength.

"Laila!" said Link with a smile. "Goodness, you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you Link," she replied. "Oreana and I actually made a good team."

A faint smile crossed Oreana's face, so Link smiled in relief.

"Thanks for healing me again," he said.

"My pleasure," she replied.

"We should head to the Forsaken Fortress at once," intervened Oreana.

The other two nodded in agreement and Laila led the way, leading them toward the exit.

* * *

><p>Garoth reached the Gate into the Barrens. It was already late at night and he wanted to reach the hideout before the Gerudo did something stupid. He knew that they were loyal servants of his Master, but his trust in them wasn't really that strong. They were greedy and volatile warriors, and he feared that they wouldn't follow his instructions and then he would have to punish them.<p>

He passed through the gate and his demonic horse shot forward into the desert.


	31. CHOICES

**A/N: T****his installment is a bit more of a Link/Oreana development. I hope you like it, because this is the critical moment when Link will have to choose between his feelings and his duty. Don't kill me for the tone of the chapter x_x!**

* * *

><p>Garoth's scream of rage echoed all around the perimeter of the hideout. He walked amongst the bodies of the dead Gerudo, only to discover that the Hero had escaped. He quickly ran to the vault and found it open; he had been fooled once more. As he quickly exited the hideout he decided that the only thing he could do now was to hurry toward the Fortress and try to reach it before the Hero did, for if he managed to get there first and thwart the resurrection of his Master, then all would be lost.<p>

* * *

><p>Link and Oreana had found the entrance to the Forsaken Fortress; however, they could sense that it was already late, and they were to weary to continue, especially Oreana who had just fought her way alone into the thieves' hideout. They found a small cavern carved into the rocky wall that surrounded the desert, not too far from the entrance to the tunnel that led into the valley where the Forsaken Fortress was located. Not wanting to risk any light that could reveal their position, they sat there in the dark while eating some dry bread that they had managed to sneak from the thieves' hideout.<p>

They ate in silence and then agreed to take shifts to mount guard, Link being on the first watch. He looked at Oreana while she slept, trying to figure out why had she been acting so cold in the past few hours. He saw, thanks to Laila's soft glow, that there were some tears coming to her eyes while she slept.

"Link?" whispered Laila.

"Yes?" asked Link absentmindedly.

"I know what you're thinking right now," replied the fairy. "Link, remember when I was jealous about… YES, I was jealous, I admit it," she added when Link raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Anyways, remember that I told you that she had some interest in you?"

"Yes," replied Link.

"Well, turned out I may not have been right at the time, but she has developed some feelings for you, Link," said the fairy.

"Do you think I don't know that?" asked Link in a low voice. "Do you think I'm not feeling confused about her myself?"

"Link," interrupted Laila, "when you were still chained to the wall and Oreana was trying to release you…" she doubted.

"Yes?" asked Link.

"Well, you said Tara's name."

Link looked at her in silence and then at Oreana. He had a strong urge to caress her cheek and wipe away the tears; he wanted to stroke her hair and relief her from her pain.

"Oh…" was the only thing he managed to say.

"Link," said Laila, fluttering closer to him, "Oreana crossed the desert and faced the Gerudo on her own to rescue you. I may not be her biggest fan, but I do understand the way she must have felt when you said Tara's name."

Oreana had been listening at their conversation with her eyes shut all along. She wanted to scream, cry, run away; however, the only thing she could do was to pretend to be sleeping.

"Link," said Laila, "do you love Tara?"

"I…" doubted Link.

_"Please, don't respond…" _thought Oreana, _"Please, don't respond…"_

"I've known her for all my life, Laila," replied Link.

_"He does…"_ thought Oreana. She didn't want to cry, so she bit hard her lip and turned around, making as much noise as she would actually do if she had been sleeping. Only then she let go her tears.

Link and Laila looked at Oreana and kept their silence for a few minutes. Laila then hid inside his hat and he leaned back against the rocky wall of the cave. He thought he could see a horse galloping far away, but he wasn't sure. He closed his eyes and soon drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

><p>He woke up in the morning, or so he guessed as the sky was still covered by the shroud of darkness, and noticed that Oreana wasn't there. He grabbed his gear in order to exit the cave, when Oreana came back and entered their hiding place.<p>

"You're such a great guard, you know?" she asked with cuttingly. "It's useless to keep watch if you are going to fall asleep."

"Well, I'm sorry," said Link, suddenly shocked by her increased coldness. "Oreana, is everything okay? Where did you go?"

"Everything's fine Link," she replied, still not looking at him. "I went ahead to explore and probe the terrain. I'm a Sheikah, so I'm pretty skilled in stealth, in case you haven't noticed."

"Oreana, I'm sorry for leaving you and Taglo, okay?" he finally blurted out. "I'm sorry for leaving YOU behind, when you've helped me so much."

Oreana didn't really catch the emphasis on the pronoun, so she thought that he was still referring to both her and Taglo.

"Forget about it, will you?" she said, now dropping her gaze. "You thought you were doing the right thing. Obviously you weren't because last time I checked Taglo was still DEAD! HE DIED IN FRONT OF MY DAMNED EYES AND I WASN'T ABLE TO SAVE HIM! HE ACTUALLY SACRIFICED HIMSELF SO I COULD FIND YOUR STUPID ASS AND HELP YOU REACH THE FORSAKEN FORTRESS!"

"Oreana… I," stuttered Link.

She was screaming at him, making him recoil to the end of the cave. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and her face was red due to her anger. She dropped on her knees and started to cry in anguish and Link, after doubting for a few seconds, dropped down as well and hugged her. To his surprise, instead of breaking away from him, she buried her face on his chest and sobbed hard. He didn't know what to do. He knew that they shared feelings for each other, but he couldn't bear them to get too attached to each other. He didn't want Oreana to suffer the same fate as Tara.

"Oreana," started Link.

"No Link," she cut him off and stood up, wiping her tears and trying hard to recover herself. "Let's go. The fortress is this way."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She jerked her hand away but then she saw his expression as he gazed into the desert outside and reached for his bow. Oreana then heard the sudden noises outside and cursed herself under her breath for yelling at the top of her lungs. Link looked at her and nodded; she nodded back in acknowledgement and loaded her crossbow.

She jumped outside first and shot a bolt into the bokoblin's chest. Link exited as well, an arrow already stringed, and shot at another bokoblin. There was one bokoblin left which, seeing his dead friends, turned around and ran for his life, screaming in fear. Oreana loaded another bolt and shot the creature in the head.

"Now we can move on," said Link with a feint attempt of humor. Oreana simply nodded and stepped forward for Link to follow her.

* * *

><p>"They're approaching the Fortress, my Lord," said the Gerudo kneeling behind Garoth.<p>

"Let them come," he replied. "My Master will soon awaken and, even if they got here before, he won't defeat me; I've fought him before."

He was standing in front of the coffin where Ganondorf's body rested, staring at its polished surface and smiling with confidence. He had been told that the Hero wasn't traveling alone, but with a young Sheikah girl. It had been precisely that girl who had slaughtered nearly every single Gerudo in the hideout, hence releasing the Hero from his prison. Maybe he could turn tables on him after all.

"Get the girl," he commanded, "and bring her to me."

* * *

><p>Link and Oreana reached the steps that led into the Fortress's entrance. They could see the high arc in front of them, blocked by an iron gate, being the only visible way through the sandstone wall that surrounded the Fortress. Behind the wall, towering in the distance...<p>

"Link," said Oreana, "those are the ruins of the Arbiter's Grounds!" Given Link's confused expression, she decided to explain what she meant. "Link, it is said in the old legends that the Great King of Evil was sentenced to be executed here, but the execution failed and hence he was exiled into another dimension. He eventually escaped, and the Hero of Twilight killed him after a hard battle. They say that his tomb was sealed deep into the Arbiter's Grounds and the place was destroyed to prevent the King of Evil to return."

"Oreana," began Link, realization suddenly hitting him, "you don't think..."

"Exactly!" she interrupted him. "Garoth is trying to resurrect the King of Darkness; he wants to bring Ganondorf back to life!"

Link stared at her in silence; then, he looked at the tall structure behind the wall in front of them and made a decision: he couldn't do this alone, but he also couldn't risk Oreana's life like this.

"Oreana," he said without looking at her, "go to the Castle."

"I'm sorry?" she asked in shock. "Have you listened to anything I've said today?"

Link looked at her and noticed her anger building up again. Neither of them spoke for a few seconds and then Link sighed and lowered his eyes.

"Oreana, I have to face Garoth alone," he said, "but I do need your help with something else."

"And what would that be?" she asked, partly annoyed and partly intrigued.

"You must go to Hyrule Castle. There is a hidden entrance through the sewers that will take you straight into the dungeons," he brought up the map of Hyrule and marked the place where the entrance was. "Enter the Castle and try to locate Tara and the Princess."

"I'm not…" she started to blurt out, but Laila fluttered out of Link's hat and interrupted her.

"Oreana, Link is right. He needs to do this alone, but you can save time by trying to rescue the Tara and the Princess," she said in a hurried voice.

"If you manage to pull them out," continued Link, "I need you all to go to the Forest Temple. There you will meet a Kokiri priestess named Joy; she will be able to shelter you until I return."

Oreana was starting to relax, forcing herself to find some sense in Link's plan. She finally agreed and Link noticed how her anger started to recede.

"Why do you keep pushing me away, Link?" she asked out of sudden, taking Link by surprise.

"I'm not… I just…" replied Link.

Oreana stepped forward and looked at him in the eyes, her face only inches away from his.

"Ever since we went to the forest I've been feeling that you're trying to push me aside," she said.

"Oreana, I don't think this is this really a good moment; I just…" said Link.

"You just what, Link?" she replied.

"Hum… guys?" said Laila, but they paid no attention to her. "Guys this isn't the proper time."

Link could feel her breathing, they were now closer than ever and she had actually closed her eyes, waiting for him to cut the small gap between them; but he couldn't, as much as he wanted to.

"Guys!" said Laila. "We've got company!"

Link turned around, grateful for the interruption and aimed his bow at the moblin that was charging toward them. A single shot was enough to kill it, as it sunk into its head. He turned around again, as a group of bokoblins appeared behind the moblin and charged at Link, and he saw Oreana with a blank expression on her face.

"Oreana, go!" he said. "I need you… to do this." he added. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek which pulled her out of her trance and then ran toward the bokoblins, while she reacted and escaped another way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey! I already have the complete final part of the story! (cliffhanger there, no spoilers!). I would also like to take the chance to ask you to R&R my first 'The Legend of Zelda' Horror SongFic: A Deadly Vacancy, based on the song Hotel California (The Eagles)... please, read it... if you dare! *evil grin***


	32. OREANA'S JOURNEY

**A/N: Okay, after a brief writer's block, I managed to come up with some ideas thanks to my faithful reviewer and Beta reader, _Ayako_**_ **Zetra.**_** There is something really interesting coming up, an we will soon finally be able to know about Zelda, Viacka and Tara! The battle with Garoth is getting closer (will he be able to resurrect Ganondorf?).**

**Now, we saw that Oreana left Link in order to go to the Castle. What do you think will happen to her?**

**"Cut it out and let's tell them already!" says Oreana**

**"Okay, okay," *sighs***

**Enjoy this chapter! And you owe _Ayako_ a thanks for it being uploaded today! xD**

* * *

><p>Oreana saw Link going at the bokoblins and, before she knew what was going on, she ran straight in the opposite direction. She ran as fast as I could while she heard him clash his swords against his foes, buying her time to escape. She had felt something inside when he talked to her. She was aching because of the frustrated moments that they had shared so far and her lips burned with the absent kiss that hadn't occurred.<p>

When she was far enough she stopped and fell on her knees. Somehow she felt like she shouldn't be angry at him anymore, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

"I have a mission. I should keep moving," she thought while getting up from the sand.

She then heard a rattling noise, like a heavy batting of wings, and looked around. There was nothing in sight; however, the rattling sound became louder and she suddenly started to feel a strong wind blowing around her. Instinctively, she looked up and quickly drew out her sword.

"Damn it!" she yelled. "A peahat!"

She sprinted forward as the big pineapple-like spinning creature hovering above leaned toward her and dashed in her direction. She knew better than to try to use her sword on the peahat, as their rotator blades were sharp as steel and she would probably end up taking more damage than the creature itself. She kept running until she saw a ledge and jumped from it just as the peahat soared over her missing her head by a few seconds.

The peahat turned around and flew straight toward her, and she raised her sword and lifted the Hylian Shield to protect herself bracing for an impact which never came. The peahat suddenly exploded, and tiny bits and entrails showered her.

"Ugh, gross," she said and looked over her shield.

There was a woman standing not too far ahead, covered with a dark gray cloak and dark blue garments. Oreana immediately noticed the bow in her hands, a quiver of explosive arrows hanging from her belt. Oreana saw her approach, but didn't lower her guard until the strange woman had hung the bow from her back.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" asked the mysterious woman. She was tall and slim, had a veil half covering her face, and Oreana noticed the red irises in her eyes immediately. Her short white hair hung on each side of her face, right below her eyelevel.

"I could ask the same thing," replied Oreana. She noticed how the woman gazed at the red eye she had across her chest.

"You're a Sheikah." Said the woman; It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I am," replied Oreana, not seeing how she could hide it. "So are you, right?"

"Where is he?" asked the woman, ignoring Oreana's question. "The Hero, where is he?"

Oreana was in shock, not knowing what to say. How could this woman know about Link? Had she been following them? Was she a friend or foe?

"He went to the Fortress," said Oreana truthfully, thinking that if she had saved her she should be a friend.

"He has to endure that trial alone. Only he holds the power to destroy the Emissary of Darkness," said the woman. "I've been communicating with the priests of Faron and Lanayru and we are running out of time. We must be at the Castle to rescue Princess Zelda when Link has slain Garoth."

Oreana felt dizzy; this woman knew too much about them and she couldn't understand how. She fell on her butt and gasped for air, nervous and scared.

"How… how do you know all this?" she asked.

"I've been slumbering for a long time, and I have waited for ages for the moment to come. My descendants were instructed to serve as priests to the Eldin Spirit; however, the last of them was slaughtered and now I have awoken once more."

"But, who are you?" pressed Oreana.

"I'm the Sage of Shadow," she replied while uncovering her face and showing Oreana the Sheikah emblem on her chest. "My name is Impa; and yes, I am a Sheikah."

* * *

><p>Oreana and Impa exited the tunnel out of the Barrens. Apparently, Impa had been watching each one of their steps and knew exactly what have they being doing.<p>

"I couldn't intervene before, as my path is not yet entwined with Link's," she explained when Oreana asked why they hadn't seen her before. "However, our paths are coming closer as time passes, so I was finally able to reveal myself."

"Impa, I'm heading for the Castle," replied Oreana, "but I'm rescuing not only the Princess but also a friend of Link who..."

"Was captured by Garoth to serve as bargain price, I know," completed Impa.

Oreana saw then two horses by the entrance of the tunnel: one was her own. Before she could ask anything, Impa climbed onto her horse and watched Oreana as she climbed onto hers.

"I must go to Kakariko Village," said Impa. "I only came here to find you and now you're on your own; however, I need you both to go see me before you go to the Sacred Grove."

"Okay," replied Oreana with more security than she felt.

"Oreana, you will find yourself surrounded by darkness at some point when you enter the Castle," said Impa. "Whenever that happens, you must play this melody which will clear out the path for you. It's called the Prelude of Light."

Impa raised her hand and placed two fingers on her lips, whistling a soft melody. Oreana pulled out her lyre and replayed each note with care. Suddenly, Oreana's body began to emit a faint golden glow.

"What's happening?" she asked in fear.

"The Prelude of Light will make you glow like this, dissipating whatever darkness surrounds you," explained Impa. "Make sure you teach it to Link."

Oreana nodded and smiled, murmuring her gratitude and then watched as Impa turned around and urged her horse away. Oreana turned to look at the dark cloud over the Barrens and a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Take care, Link," she thought. Then, she whipped the reins and her horse shot forward in the direction of Castle town.

* * *

><p>Not long after parting with Impa, Oreana found herself surrounded by a cloud of fog, which she soon realized was smoke. She looked at the ground and noticed that it seemed to be scorched, for there were black patches of burnt grass all around her. The horse neighed nervously.<p>

"Come in boy," said Oreana, patting him on the neck. "I will protect you."

The horse neighed again and Oreana felt a chilling wind blowing around her. She drew out her sword and looked in every direction. Climbing down from the horse, she looked around as she heard a faint moaning sound coming at her from behind. She opened her eyes in horror when she saw it: a large poe slowly hovering toward her, tall and ghastly, holding a purple lantern in its hand.

Oreana quickly climbed onto the horse, knowing that swords were useless against ghosts, and galloped as fast as possible, away from the under worldly apparition. She then saw a faint light ahead and then an arrow flew past her. The horse stopped abruptly, tossing her to the ground.

"Ouch!" she cried out as she rolled over the pebbles and scorched grass. Standing up she lifted the shield and blocked another arrow. Looking in the direction it had come from, she pulled out her crossbow and shot. She heard a squeal, meaning she had hit her mark.

"Come on, you fools!" she shouted at the mist. "Come and get me!"

A grunt behind her made her turn around and she managed to block a sword just in time. She sliced with her own sword at the bokoblin that had just appeared behind her and she saw with triumph how its head rolled on the ground. Sprinting toward the light, she reached a small camp full of scared and disoriented bokoblins. One by one they fell under the steel of her sword and Oreana fell exhausted on her knees.

After having recovered, she went back to her horse and climbed onto it. Squinting, she noticed that the mist started to get lighter and then, after what seemed like an eternity, she came out of it. She saw the sun already high into the sky, but partly covered behind a gray cloud of smoke. Towering farther away, she saw the structure of Hyrule Castle, entirely covered in darkness and its towers and walls more creepy and evil looking than ever.

"The entrance to the sewers," she said for herself while pulling out the map, "is somewhere down a cliff around... here!" she pointed at it.

She went in the direction that the map was pointing and looked down the cliff, swearing under her breath as she saw the steep rocky wall.

"At least this one isn't mossy and slippery," she murmured to herself and looked for a way down.

She found a group of vines that hung down the cliff, passing right next to the entrance to the sewers; quickly, she grabbed them, pulled hard to make sure they would resist her weight and started to climb down. As soon as she reached the opening, she flung herself in and rolled on the floor to reduce the impact.

"Ugh… smells like shit down here," she murmured again. _"Well, it IS a sewer, you know?"_ reminded her conscience.

The tunnel was completely lit by torches, which she didn't like. Link had told her that the tunnel was dark inside, so illumination could only mean that it was being guarded. Sure enough, Oreana heard the sound of a blade being unsheathed and she raised her shield as she saw a Gerudo running toward her, brandishing two long scimitars. When the Gerudo lunged at her, Oreana thought of something: quickly she ducked when the Gerudo jumped toward her, used her shield as leverage and pushed the Gerudo upward in an arc above her and tossed the surprised thief behind her. Oreana only heard the scream of fear as the Gerudo landed, rolled and fell down the cliff.

"Rule number one, bitch," she said with a smile while looking down the cliff: "never attack with anger at a serene enemy."

She turned around and ventured further into the tunnel. About five minutes later, she dispatched another Gerudo and, after killing her, she tossed the body into the sewer line so that the water would carry it to the cliff. It wasn't long after when she was able to see a Gerudo walking ahead with her back turned. Another idea popped into her mind: slowly walking behind the Gerudo, she grabbed her by the neck and silently snapped it sideways.

She dragged the dead Gerudo and stripped her of her clothing; then, she stripped her own clothes and put on the Gerudo garments. The clothes were looser than it was her style, and it smelled of sand and sweat; however, she knew that it was the only way she would be able to silently infiltrate the Castle. She noticed that the Gerudo had a key hanging from her wrist, so she took it as well. She stored her own clothing inside her satchel and hit it within the Gerudo robes.

After dropping the carcass into the water, she continued her way at a steadier pace, making sure that the hood of her robes hid her eyes from view and hoping that the veil covering her face was enough to avoid being caught, as she ventured further into the sewers that led into the Castle.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And she's into the sewers! Hey, while I update, why don't you R&R my other two Zelda fanfictions? :-D**

**1. A Deadly Vacancy: Horror/Angst songfic for Hotel California... pretty spooky, especially if read at night with lights out. (Joystick Gamer, stay away from it! I have a hunch that you WILL have nightmares if you read it! Please, I'm serious!)**

**2. A Dark Way to Love: Link and Malon struggle to give the first step out of the friend-zone, but someone else is in the Dark craving to be loved. / Romance/Hurt/Comfort fanfiction from Link's, Malon's and Dark Link's POVs where you can atually feel as the characters feel.**

**3. Hylian Star Wars: (COMING SOON!) CROSSOVER FANFICTION! SUMMARY TO BE REVEALED!**

**Thank you all for taking your time to read my stories! May the Goddess of Time bless thy souls!**

**Rick**


	33. INTO THE FORTRESS

"Oreana, go!" said Link. "I need you… to do this." he added. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek which pulled Oreana out of her trance and then ran toward the incoming bokoblins, while she reacted and escaped another way.

Link leaped into the air, spun his sword and sunk it into the ground. Jolts of energy shot from the sword, hitting the bokoblins and sending them flying all around him. Some of them stood still, but others stood up and charged at him while he pulled the sword out of the ground. He turned quickly, just to verify if Oreana was gone, and then he sheathed the sword, charged his power in his hands and hit his fist on the ground.

The Din's Fire attack burnt every single bokoblin along the way. Link stood up, panting heavily as he recovered his strength from casting the spell, a hand clutching his side.

"Boy, that does drain my energy away," he murmured.

"You have to be careful, Link," replied Laila. "Don't wear yourself too much."

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed and turned around in the direction that Oreana had left. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

"I'm sure she will," replied Laila. "Link why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"You love her, don't you?"

"I don't know, Laila, I can't think about that right now." He picked up his stuff and looked at the wall. "Any ideas on how to climb up?"

"Try the Rope of Faron," replied Laila.

Link was about to pull it out when the gate suddenly started to open up. He looked in that direction and his jaw dropped when he saw the large beast coming out. The ground shook with every step it gave, as its green scales glinted with the light of the torches hanging from the wall. It had yellow eyes, a large tail and its lizard face was looking straight at him.

"La… Laila?" stuttered Link.

"Link… it's… RUN LINK! A DODONGO!" screamed the fairy.

Link quickly sprinted forward and aimed an arrow at the dodongo, released the string and saw the projectile break against the beast's skin.

"Moron! I told you to run! You can't pierce it!" screamed Laila.

The dodongo faced Link and started to breathe in, its chest swelling as air filled his lungs. Before Link could realize what he was doing, it released the air with a blast of fire. Unable to dodge quickly enough, he cast the Nayru's Love and the blue wall materialized in front of him just in time to avoid him and Laila being scorched. When the dodongo stopped its attack, Link released the barrier and drew out his sword.

"Link, I don't think that'll work," said Laila, doubtful.

"I have to try," he replied, and he sprinted forward.

The dodongo crawled up toward him and started to breathe in again. Link then noticed that the belly of the creature was soft, and he grabbed an arrow and shot at it. The shaft sunk into the beast's belly, but only a few inches, and the dodongo released its fiery breath again. Link jumped out of reach and rolled on the sand. All around him, the sand, rocks and dead plants were burning in flames due to the dodongo's attacks.

The lizard started to breathe in again and Link did the only thing he could possibly think of: he pulled out the bombs he had gotten from the moblin camp, ignited one and tossed it with all his strength at the dodongo's mouth. There was a muffled explosion, and Link saw the chest of the dodongo glow for a moment. The creature then fell on one side, breathing heavily, and Link ran as fast as he could, sword held horizontal on his side, and slit open the beast's belly.

The lizard roared in pain and tried to stand up, but his entrails were now spilling and he was bleeding too much. It didn't take long for it to finally lay still.

"Link…" said Laila, but he barely heard it, like if she was fading away. "Link!"

He turned around and saw that things were turning a gray shade, he barely saw Laila, though he knew that she was in front of him and he could see her shadow moving. He looked down at himself and nearly dropped his sword, as his blood-stained hands were turning coal-black, his clothing was darkening and his skin felt like it was on fire.

"What's happening to me?" he yelled, and he grabbed his head and shook it many times.

"Link, you're okay now!" yelled Laila.

He opened his eyes and saw that he had returned to normal. The Triforce of Courage was glowing in his hand and, though he still had on him the dodongo's blood, he no longer felt like burning.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know Link," replied Laila. "But this is freaking me out."

"You tell me!" yelled Link. He then looked at the fortress and nodded. "The gate is still open. Let's go."

She hid in his hat and he sprinted toward the entrance to the Forsaken Fortress.

* * *

><p>Joy's breathing was heavy. She had her eyes wide open, sitting cross-legged in front of the shrine of the Faron Spirit.<p>

_"I told you…" _said Zurlo's voice in her head.

_"This can't be…"_ replied Joy, a tear rolling down her cheek.

_"His heart is in the right place," _explained Zurlo,_ "but his soul has been tainted by the blood of many."_

_"He's still a Hero of Light,"_ cried Joy in her mind. _"He's still a good person."_

_"That'll be for HIM to decide…"_ replied the Zora Priest.

_"I know he'll choose right," _replied the Kokiri.

* * *

><p>Link entered the building of the once glorious Arbiter's Grounds. He looked around and all he could see were broken sands, burnt-out torches and a large pit of quicksand.<p>

"How am I supposed to cross this?" he asked out loud.

"Find if there is anything you can use to grapple and pull yourself across the gap," suggested Laila, coming out of his hat. "There!" she pointed at the ceiling, where a large block was still barely hanging.

"Do you think it'll hold?" asked Link with doubt.

"I'm quite sure it will," she replied.

He pulled out the Rope of Faron while Laila hid again inside his hat. Aiming carefully, he pressed the trigger and the rope wrapped itself around the block. After a few tugs, he jumped across the gap… but the block slipped from its place and Link fell heavily onto the quicksand, which started to spiral around him dragging him down.

"Damn it! Argh!" he tried to struggle to get out, but the more he tried the more he sunk into the pit.

"Link!" yelled Laila, coming out of his hat. "Link!"

"Laila!" yelled Link, as he saw small worm-like creatures jumping at him.

"Moldorms! Link, fire your rope again!" yelled Laila.

Link tried to reach out, but his arms were already under the sand. Laila quickly hid into his hat again and they both sunk into the swirly pit of sand.

* * *

><p>"He's inside," murmured Garoth, standing in front of Ganondorf's coffin. "Well, it doesn't matter if he gets here, he won't be able to stop anything… it has already started."<p>

The black coffin was glowing with a faint red light, and the crystal orb containing the Triforce of Power was floating above it. Garoth had a triumphant smile on his face as he saw the Gerudo soldiers going around the room, getting things ready. One of them had placed a statue behind the coffin, clad in the black garments of the King of the Gerudo, a dark blood-red cape hanging from behind it. Garoth had placed an ornamented sword next to it and was now waiting for the ceremony to commence.

* * *

><p>Link opened his eyes; his body was sore. Laila was fluttering around him, examining the room where they had fallen into.<p>

"Where the hell are we?" asked Link, standing up while holding his head.

"We're way below the Arbiter's Ground," replied Laila. "Link, I think that this IS the Forsaken Fortress."

He looked at the large iron door in front of him, the Triforce of Courage burning hot in his hand.


	34. DARK DUNGEONS

**A/N: OMG! we're almost there! I hope you like this one!**

* * *

><p>Oreana walked past a few Gerudo guards unnoticed. The disguise she was wearing had helped her infiltrate the sewers and she was almost at the room where Link had told her about the stairs into the Castle. She reached said room and saw a single Gerudo standing there, looking straight at her.<p>

"Do you think you can fool us by walking around like that?" she said. Oreana's heart started to race. "The only reason why you haven't encountered any troubles since you stole those clothes is because I commanded so."

Oreana lowered her hood and unveiled her face. She realized that there was no point now in hiding it, as her cover had been blown all along. She felt like a fool for not having realized that it had been far too easy to walk unnoticed all this time.

"I will enter the Castle," said Oreana, drawing out her sword and shield. "You can't stop me."

"Do you think you have what it takes to defeat me?" asked the Gerudo, drawing out two scimitars.

Oreana raised her shield just as the Gerudo swung her blades, which hit the iron surface with a shower of sparks. Oreana swung her sword in an arc and the Gerudo jumped to avoid it, performed a back flip and swung her blades again.

Oreana rolled on the floor to avoid then and stood up with her shield raised. She thought she could hear heavy footsteps down the corridor; the noise of their flight was drawing more Gerudo. Two thieves arrived and Oreana saw one of them pointing a crossbow at her.

"You have no chance to win or escape," said the Gerudo soldier, and she cross swung her scimitars.

Oreana reacted quickly; she jumped above her attacker and, when she landed, she thrust her sword backward, stabbing the Gerudo in the back; then, she raised her shield to block an incoming bolt, grabbed her own crossbow and shot at the one holding the similar weapon. The remaining Gerudo tried to run away, but Oreana saw a knife poking out of the leader's boot, grabbed it and tossed it killing the runaway.

She stood there panting, looking at the bloodbath around her. When she managed to catch her breath, she walked toward the door and opened it.

"Strange, it was unlocked, she murmured as she closed it behind her.

She realized that she was now at the bottom of a spiral staircase lit by torches; sheathing her sword and readying her crossbow, she started to climb. When she finally reached the top, she opened the door and looked into the corridor.

Contrary to the time when Link had been there, this time the corridor seemed to be heavily guarded by a squad of Royal Guards. They were all walking around the hallway with their spears held up; Oreana saw a few of them brandishing swords. She pulled up the veil to cover her face again and raised her hood, took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

A few guards turned around to look at her, but then they saw hrr clothing and relaxed. Oreana smiled under the vail and walked in a steady pace among the soldiers, keeping extreme care of hiding the Hylian Shield under her cloak. She kept walking through the corridors until she reached the staircase that led upstairs.

When she finally reached the atrium she noticed immediately how bad things were: a few servants were coming and going with grim faces, Royal Guards were posted every few steps, while bokoblins ran free and jostled each other while they laughed. The worst thing that Oreana saw was the big darknuts posted on either side of the front door.

The walls were now mossy and dark, paintings rip had been ripped apart, cobwebs hung from the ceilind, and Oreana was able to see small skulltulas crawling all around the big golden chandelier. She tried hard to suppress the chills that she felt, as she didn't want her cover to be blown, and advanced toward the great hall behind the atrium.

"Okay, where can I find the princess?" she whispered while she pulled out the map of the Castle. "Thank goodness I was the one keeping all of the maps," she thought. She located the path to Zelda's room and began walking in that direction.

Several times her heart skipped a beat as she passed next to a few Gerudo thieves. She heard them talking in hurried voices but didn't get what they said. She nearly screamed in fear when a big skulltula came out of the hallway that crossed the one she was walking, its long golden legs slowly pulling its body forward.

"Goddesses, deliver me from this ordeal," she prayed in her mind as the spider moved on.

* * *

><p>Link was walking down a dark corridor. It had been a few minutes since he had left the room where he had fallen after being sucked down by the quicksand. According to Laila, he had been unconscious for a few hours, so now he needed to speed up and try to reach Garoth before he could resurrect the Evil King.<p>

"You know what bothers me?" asked Link.

"What is it?" replied Laila.

"We haven't seen a single enemy yet," said Link.

He then heard a sound behind and he froze in place. Trying hard not to make a sound, he listened carefully and thought he heard some steps behind him. Quickly, he drew out his sword and turned around while lifting his shield.

"Link," said Laila, "be careful."

Link squinted into the dark but, as he tried to get a view of his stalker, the footsteps ceased.

"What do you think it is?" asked Laila.

"I don't know," replied Link, "but we better get moving." He then relaxed his pose and they both continued their way.

* * *

><p>"He's here..." murmured Garoth, seeing how the glow of the Triforce of Power began to blink inside the diamond holding it.<p>

He made a gesture to the Gerudo soldiers in the room and they all left. Looking at the coffin where his master lay, he held out a hand and placed it on top of it.

"As soon as I place the Triforce of Power in the altar on top of the Arbiter's Grounds you shall return, and my duty to you shall be completed," he said in a low voice. Then, he turned and exited the room, holding the diamond orb in his hands.

* * *

><p>Oreana found the tower where the Princess whas being held; she was now climbing the stairs when she heard a rustling sound in front of her. She raised her crossbow and started to climb slowly, not remembering that she was still disguised, and found herself face to face with a Gerudo soldier that was coming down the stairs.<p>

"Hey! What are you doing up here?" asked the Gerudo. "Why aren't you at your post?"

Oreana froze, not knowing what to reply. The Gerudo kept staring at her with an eyebrow raised and then lowered her eyes to look at the crossbow.

"You planning to shoot someone?" she asked, then she noticed Oreana's non-Gerudo features. Before she could finish drawing out her scimitar she lay dead on the floor.

"That was close..." panted Oreana.

She continued climbing up the stairs, hoping to find the way clear into the Princess' room.

* * *

><p>Link entered a large room lit by torches located all around. It was completely circular and a large stone stairway spiraled all around it, going up as far as he was able to see.<p>

"Link, I guess the only choice is to climb up," stated Laila.

"I think I can see movement above," said Link. "Do you see anything?"

Laila fluttered a bit higher and then came down again.

"There are Gerudo soldiers, a few bokoblins and some small skulltulas," she explained.

Link tightened his grip on his sword and lifted his shield, its reflective surface shining slightly with the light cast by the torches. He started to climb the stairway behind Laila, who was casting some light ahead, but she quickly hid inside his hat when a burning arrow flew toward them and hit the ground in front of Link. He quickly pulled out his bow and stringed an arrow, aiming in the direction that the burning shaft had come from, but a second burning projectile flew straight at him and sunk into his leg.

Link screamed in pain and shot the arrow toward his attacker. He heard the shriek of the bokoblin when the arrow hit its mark and quickly pulled out the arrow. A stench of burned flesh reached his nose and Laila fluttered out of his hat to heal him. He heard shouts and noticed an oily smell in the air.

"Link..." said Laila, but he had already seen it.

At the bottom of the room, nearly 50 feet down, a gooey liquid was filling the room through a couple of pipes located along the floor. He then saw another flash as a third burning arrow sunk into the liquid, which immediately ignited and started to release a strong fume all around him, the heat immediately became unbearable.

"Link, lets go!" yelled Laila, and Link sprinted forward as fast as he could.

All around the room, arrows were being shot at him. He covered himself with the mirror shield and continued his ascent, feeling how the fire kept rising almost as fast. A Gerudo tried to intercept him, but he rapidly disposed of her by kicking her in the legs so she lost her balance and fell into the burning pit below. Two more Gerudo came at him, scimitars shining in their hands, and Link shot at them with his bow.

"Damn it!" he said. "No more arrows."

Link kept running, the rising hell below rising fast, and then he saw a swarm of skulltulas crawling toward him. He quickly disposed of them with a blast of Din's Fire and kept running. He could almost feel the flames nearing him, less than 10 feet below. Sweat was dripping from his brow and the fumes were starting to hurt his eyes.

"Link, look out!" yelled Laila, and he saw three bokoblins running toward him with their swords drawn.

He raised his sword and then an arrow flew from above and one of the bokoblins fell dead; before Link could realize what was going on, another bokoblins rolled out if the stairway with an arrow sticking out of his temple. He managed to stab the third one and looked up; there was the end of the stairway, just a few feet above, a man with black cloak and hood staring at him.

Link didn't stop to wonder who that was; he quickened his pace and reached the top with a sharp pain stinging his side. The stranger pulled him by the arm, dragged him through the iron door next to them and closed. Link fell on the ground, panting and holding his side, his eyes stinging due to the fumes that had been filling the room before.

"Link, are you okay?" asked Laila.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he replied. "Thanks, but who are you?" he added, addressing the hooded man.

"Second time I save your ass, Link," he replied.

The man lowered his hood and Link opened his eyes wide in shock.

"How... You?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: cliffhanger there! Theories in 3... 2... 1...**


	35. UNEXPECTED BACKUP

Oreana screamed as she stood up and reached for Taglo's hand, preventing him from falling, but the moblin came back toward them.

"Oreana, let go!" said Taglo.

"No!" yelled Oreana, tears coming to her eyes.

"Go get Link," he replied calmly, as he wriggled his hand releasing it from her grasp.

"NOOOO!" yelled Oreana, as Taglo fell through the thick cloud of smoke until the Great Bridge of Hylia and her were completely out of sight.

He felt the wind hitting him and the acrid smell of smoke and death surrounding him as he fell. His good eye was hurting because of the smoke and he started to feel dizzy; then, he hit the water and sunk several feet before he was able to kick down and propel himself to the surface again.

As he gasped for air, Taglo saw the burning remains of Lake Town. The few houses that were still standing were all on fire, bokoblins ran in mayhem through the streets and people were trying to run away. He saw many dead bodies floating in the lake, the water around them slightly tainted in red.

He knew that there was nothing he could do, so he kicked away and headed toward the shore. He managed to climb up and tried to reach for the Farore's Wind spell crystal, only to find out that he had lost it either during the fight, the fall or when he hit the water. The stairway was destroyed, but he needed to find a way to get to Hyrule Field. He analyzed the rocky wall surrounding the lake and started to climb across the gap that separated both sections of the stairs, holding from the rocks along the cliff.

He managed to reach the other side and, still sore and aching because of the fall and the blow from the moblin, he sprinted toward the top of the stairs. When he reached the top, the smoke was still fogging his surroundings; he didn't have any weapons on him, except for the small rounded shield he had taken from the aeralfos. He walked through the smoke for a while, trying hard to find his way, and he managed to reach the Great Bridge of Hylia, surprised when he saw the dead moblin lying on the floor in the middle of a pool of blood.

"Way to go, Oreana," he said with a smile. Then he heard something moving behind him and he turned around. "Who's there?"

A shadow started walking toward him, slim and tall. He raised his shield and waited, until he realized that it was a woman, white hair and blood-red eyes, dressed in the old Sheikah fashion. He lowered his guard, intrigued by this apparition.

"You must be Taglo," she said.

"Yes…?" he replied unsure. "Do I know you?"

"No, but you may have heard of me," replied the woman. "My name is Impa, and I'm one of the Sheikah of old, Sage of Shadow."

She had a low tone of voice for a woman, and she was very firm when she spoke, so the white hair may have had nothing to do with age. Taglo opened his eye wide when he understood the meaning of this revelation. He had heard about the ancient Sages of Hyrule, and their role in the imprisonment of the Evil King into the Twilight Realm. He had heard several stories about a famous Sheikah warrior, who had worked for the Royal Family for a long time as caretaker of the Princess of many ages ago. Of course he had heard about Impa.

"But… how is it possible?" asked Taglo. "You lived many ages ago!"

"When we Sages imprisoned Ganondorf in the Twilight Realm, we slept so that the seal could be intact. He escaped after all, and he cast a spell so that our sleep could be eternal. My descendants took care of watching over the Spirit of Eldin, but the last one was slaughtered and, without knowing, Garoth broke the spell on me by doing so."

"So you're back to help Link?" asked Taglo.

"WE must help Link," she replied.

Impa reached at the two scabbards behind her back and pulled out a shiny sword from one of them. She then handed both the sword and the scabbard to Taglo.

"Take this sword," she said. "You can't defend yourself with only a shield."

Taglo took the sword and nodded; after he tied the scabbard to his waist Impa walked back and fetched two horses, they climbed onto them and galloped toward the Barrens.

* * *

><p>They reached the wall and they found the cavern that led into the passage already open.<p>

"They already went through here," said Taglo.

"They?" asked Impa. "You mean that the other Sheikah girl, Oreana, is still with him?"

"We got separated along the way," explained Taglo, "but I guess that she should be getting closer to him as we speak."

Impa lit a small lantern that was hanging from her horse's saddle and they both climbed down their mounts. Drawing out their weapons, they crossed the threshold into the dark passage ahead. A while later, they felt their breathing heavy and the fire on the lantern began to fail.

"How long have we been walking?" asked Taglo panting.

"A couple hours, maybe more," replied Impa.

"We should stop to catch our breaths," he suggested.

"No," replied Impa. "If we stop now we'll lose time. We must try to catch up with them."

Taglo groaned but still followed the Sage into the darkness. It was a long while later when they finally reached the exit. The sky was completely shrouded in a black cloud of darkness, the desert expanding in every direction all around them.

"We must try to reach the Forsaken Fortress before they do," explained Impa. "Do you think you can run?"

"It's not like I have a choice, do I?" replied Taglo with a smirk. Impa nodded and the ventured into the desert.

* * *

><p>Taglo couldn't know how late it was, but he guessed they were already way past sundown. They managed to see a structure in the diatance, like some kind of small fortress.<p>

"Is that it?" asked Taglo raising an eyebrow. "It's smaller than I expected."

"No," said Impa. "That'd be the Gerudo thieves hideout. The fortress would be a long way from..." she interrupted herself and pulled Taglo to the ground when a horrible scream of anger was heard.

Taglo's skin crawled with the intensity of the scream, which pierced their souls leaving a trail of fear behind the two Sheikah. Impa could almost feel an enraged aura coming from the hideout. She peeked above the dune and saw a fiery figure climbing onto a black horse.

"It's the Emissary," she said.

"Garoth?" asked Taglo.

They both peeked from their hiding place and saw the demonic figure of Garoth, shrouded in a mantle of fire, galloping into the distance.

"We should find refuge for the night," suggested Impa.

"I agree," replied Taglo. "We should check if there are some caves or somewhere we can hide."

They explored their surroundings and found an entrance to a cavern on the ground, leading to a dark steep tunnel. They entered carefully and quickly regretted it: a large skulltula erupted from behind a dirt wall at the end of the tunnel and junped straight at them. They ran out of the tunnel followed closely behind by the giant spider, split in two different ways and slashed their swords at the beast.

Impa chopped two of its legs with one strike and Taglo sunk his sword into the spider's belly, which quickly turned around flinging Taglo away. Impa saw him land in the sand and she jumped into the air, twisted her sword in her hand and sunk it into the spider's head; the beast twitched and wriggled for a few seconds and lay still.

Impa walked up to Taglo, who was still trying to get up, helped him to his feet and smiled for the first time since they met.

"I think we just got ourselves a shelter," she said.

* * *

><p>"Taglo, wake up!" said Impa shaking him from his sleep.<p>

"Huh?" he replied slowly opening his eye.

"We must split here," she said.

"What?" he replied opening his eye now fully awake. "Why?"

"Head to the Forsaken Fortress," she told him, tossing him a bow and a quiver with arrows, both ornamented with Gerudo symbols; she was also holding a bow and had some explosive arrows in her own quiver. "I just saw your Sheikah friend running toward the tunnel. If she has split from Link then I must find out what are they going to do. You try to see if you can find Link at the fortress."

They exited the tunnel and headed in two different ways.

* * *

><p>Taglo saw Link entering the tall structure in the middle of the Forsaken Fortress after having defeated a large dodongo. He ran after him climbed, dodging the flames around him, and quickly climbed the steps into the tower. When he got in, however, Link was nowhere to be seen.<p>

"Where are you, Link?" he murmured. He exited the tower and started to circle around it, trying to find another way in.

It took him nearly an hour to detect the stone eye-shaped plate that was camouflaged by the sandstone wall of the tower.

"Okay, I've heard of these," he murmured. "There has to be a way to activate this eye, but how?"

He looked around; there was a large amphitheater a few feet away, a few lit torches and several stone pillars surrounding the tower.

"Maybe..." he said, and he pulled out the bow and shot at the eye.

When the arrow hit its mark, the ground shook and there was a loud thud, then Taglo saw the ground of the amphitheater collapsing in sections forming a large spiral staircase that led downward.

"I think I found the entrance," he said as he started to climb down the steps.

* * *

><p>Darkness surrounded him when he reached the bottom, a sole door with no lock right in front of him. He slowly pushed it open and saw a large corridor ahead, dimly lit.<p>

"Wherr are you, Link?" he asked in a low voice as he ventured further into the tunels.

He had been walking for several minutes now when he caught a glimpse of a shimmering light ahead. He squinted into the darkness and slowly walked toward it. The light was coming from a small white fairy and, following it was...

"Link!" murmured Taglo and he quickened his pace.

He noticed how Link turned around and, just when he was going to call his name, a trapdoor opened beneath him and he fell into a pit, just as the trapdoor closed again. Cursing under his breath, he stood up and saw that he was in the middle of a crossroad. He decided that he would just follow the same direction that Link had been going and continued.

* * *

><p>Taglo started to have an uneasy feeling as time went by. He hadn't encountered any enemies so far and now he was climbing a steep never ending staircase. He leaned against the wall and immediately recoiled form it, as the surface felt burning hot and a strange fume was coming from it. He quickened his pace as he climbed and the he reached an iron door; he pushed it open and found himself in a corridor.<p>

"At least I'm out of those endless stairs," he said.

Taglo looked around and saw that the corridor went on to his right and, to his left, there was another iron door. He pushed it open and the heat wave nearly knocked him down: it was a large circular room with a staircase going down along the wall, a pit of burning oil was raising from the bottom of the room, bokoblins were running down with their weapons raised and, coming up, there was Link.

"Link!" he gasped as he quickly pulled out the bow and aimed at one of the bokoblins. The arrow hit its mark and the bokoblin fell dead. A second one also fell to an arrow and Link disposed of the third one with his sword.

Link looked straight at him and sprinted forward as fast as he could. The fire was almost at their level when Taglo pulled him into the corridor and shut the door behind him.

"Link, are you okay?" asked Laila.

"Yeah, I'm okay," replied Link. "Thanks, but who are you?" he added, addressing Taglo.

"Second time I save your ass, Link," he replied lowering his hood. Link had an expression of shock in his face.

"How... You?" asked Link.

"What, did you think I'd miss all of the fun?" replied Taglo with a smirk.

They couldn't help but to laugh.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: well, now you know what happened to Taglo when he fell (you thought he was dead, didn't you? xD let me inform you that I have no intention of killing Taglo or Oreana... yet... *evil grin*). I tried my best to connect the chapters, so I hope it doesn't sound rushed. R&R!**


	36. PRAYERS AND CONFRONTATIONS

**A/N: short chapter ahead, only a filler to lay the ground for the next chapter.**

* * *

><p>Impa was standing by the shrine of Eldin in Kakariko Village, the once lively town of the Sheikah now a field of death and sorrow. Very few people had survived from the massacres that had raided the village in recent days, and now they were all trying hard to clean up the remains of scorched buildings and businesses.<p>

The Sage was trying hard to communicate with the current priests of Lanayru and Faron, but the absence of the Spirit of Eldin made it too difficult.

"Hurry up, Link," she whispered, her eyes closed in full concentration.

* * *

><p>Viacka stood up in a hurry and woke up Princess Zelda and Tara.<p>

"My Lady," she said, "someone's coming."

"You know who it is?" asked Zelda.

"No, I still can't see, but I heard footsteps."

All three of them stood up and stared at the barrier of dark energy that served as a door for their room.

* * *

><p>Oreana reached the top of the stairs and was shocked to see a purple glowing barrier of dark energy blocking the entrance to a large room. She came closer and gasped in shock as she saw the three girls inside: a maid, a young pretty girl that seemed to be some kind of farm girl, and Princess Zelda herself.<p>

The three girls recoiled when they saw her and Oreana realized she was still wearing her Gerudo outfit; she hurriedly removed her veil and lowered her hood.

"Your highness," she said, not knowing if they could hear her through the barrier, "don't be afraid; I'm not a Gerudo. My name is Oreana, and I'm a Sheikah."

"A Sheikah!" Princess Zelda gasped and ran forward, approaching the barrier but careful not to touch it. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I'm here to get you out safe," explained Oreana. "Link sent me to..." she was abruptly interrupted by Tara's screech of relief.

"Link is okay? Where is he? What is he doing?" she blurted out. Oreana gave her a strange look.

"He's okay, he's in the Forsaken Fortress and he's trying to defeat Garoth; you must be Tara, right?" said Oreana; she had a strange uncomfortable feeling growing in her stomach. "We met your family in Faron Village, they're all worried about you, but they're okay."

"Thank you," replied Tara.

"Your highness," said Oreana before Tara could say anything else, "how can I get you out?"

"I..." Zelda let a tear roll down her cheek as she turned away. "I don't think that will be possible."

"Why not?" asked Oreana. "Princess, I promised Link that I was going to take you all to the Forest Temple in the Faron Woods."

"My Lady," said Viacka sheepishly, "if Link manages to kill Garoth, do you think the barrier will vanish?"

"Ma... maybe," replied Zelda, looking at her maid.

"Maybe we should wait then," continued Viacka. "Let's just hope Link manages to defeat him fast."

They all agreed to that, and Oreana sighed while sitting on the floor outside of the room, eyeing Tara occasionally and frowning at the thought of her being with Link.

* * *

><p>Taglo and Link climbed up a ladder and found themselves at the top of the tower of the Arbiter's Grounds. There was a low platform in the middle, a round empty frame at the top of it. The roof was surrounded by a tall coliseum-like wall with tall pillars, each one bearing the emblem of one of the Six Sages of old: light, forest, fire, water, shadow and spirit. They could see the rotation axis of the black cloud right on top of them.<p>

"Link, what is that?" asked Taglo, pointing at a shiny orb that floated several feet above the ground; it looked like a small sun.

"We finally meet again, Hero," said an echoing voice from within the shadows. "Are you here to rescue the last Spirit of Light?"

Link and Taglo quickly drew out their swords, a chilling sensation going down their spines. A gust of cold wind and dark clouds started to form slowly in the platform with the empty frame and, when the clouds faded, Garoth, the Emissary of Darkness, was standing there, smirking at them, fire in his eyes, the shiny sword that he had won in the tournament was in his hand.

* * *

><p>Oreana stood up and drew out her sword when she heard hurried footsteps climbing up the stairs. Zelda, Viacka and Tara approached the door when they saw her reaction. They all gasped when they saw the three Gerudo standing in front of the Sheikah, scimitars drawn and an evil expression in their eyes.<p>

"You're coming with us," said the one in the middle.

"No," replied Oreana. "You're going to have to make me."

"Fine," replied the Gerudo.

The four of them started to fight, while Zelda, Viacka and Tara watched in fear.

* * *

><p>Impa opened her eyes when she finally felt the connection with the other two priests being established:<p>

_"Priests of the Spirits of Hyrule,"_ she talked to them mind to mind, _"my name is Impa, Sage of the Shadows and ancestor to the late priest of Eldin."_

_"So it was yours the presence we felt near the shrine of Eldin," _replied Zurlo.

_"Impa, we've heard your name so many times in the old legends," _replied Joy.

_"Indeed, I have slumbered for too long, but now it is time for us to add out power to aid Link with his quest," _explained Impa. _"Priests, we must aid the Spirit of Eldin so that he can grant the power of light to Link; only then will the Hero be able to defeat the Darkness."_

In the shrine of Lanayru, Zurlo summoned the Spirit of Light that dwelt there and prayed; in the shrine of Faron, Joy summoned the Spirit of Light from the forest and prayed; in the shrine of Eldin, Impa focused all of her power as a sage to commune with the Spirit of Light that should have been there, but now lay locked in his prison atop the Arbiter's Grounds, and prayed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: and the confrontation with Garoth is here! The moment that everyone was expecting has finally arrived! Ok, before I continue with the next chapter I'd like to thanks once more all of the people who have been following, both active reviewers and silent followers (to the latter, don't be shy! review! xD).**

**To those who were wondering about the location where Link and Taglo are facing Garoth, yes, the empty frame in the small plataform once held the Mirror of Twilight.**

**Oh! And don't forget to read and review my other stories as well! :-D (Joy, stay away from the horror one!)**


	37. GAROTH: THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS

**A/N: AND WE'RE ON!**

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo raised their shields and gripped their swords; Garoth merely smirked and gave a step forward, coming down the stairs of the small platform; his eyes were fixed upon the two warriors who were standing in front of him.<p>

"You think you can defeat me?" he asked. "We fought before, Hero, and you couldn't even land a single blow."

"It will be different this time," replied Link. The Triforce of Courage began glowing in his hand.

"You have brought a fine present for my Master," said Garoth, an evil grin across his face. "Let me collect it from you."

Garoth rose several feet in the air, a couple feet below the shiny orb, raised a hand and a black ball of energy formed on his palm; he tossed it toward Link and Taglo, who quickly dodged it by jumping in separate ways.

"Link, hand me the Silver Arrows!" yelled Taglo.

Link reached for the quiver and tossed it toward Taglo, who gracefully caught it. Garoth landed back on his feet and lunged toward Link with his sword raised. Link blocked the attack and swung his own blade. Both swords clashed with a shower of sparks over and over, as their wielders swung them back and forth. Taglo aimed with his bow, the Silver Arrow ready on the string, but the two swordsmen moved too much for him to get a clear shot.

"You've improved your skills, boy," said Garoth with a smirk.

"You have no idea how much," said Link. He quickly dodged another attack, did a back flip and sunk his sword into the ground. The bolt of light that erupted from the spot hit Garoth on the chest making him stumble as he screamed in rage; Taglo saw his chance and released the string.

The Silver Arrow pierced Garoth's chest plate and turned into a shower of sparks; a small circle of light could be seen where the tip of the arrow had hit. The Emissary of Darkness was still twitching in pain when Link lunged forward and swung his blade several times, hitting every time the glowing wound.

Garoth then swung his sword hitting Link on the chest, but the chest plate that Mr. Regol had given him saved him from being killed. He flew several feet and fell on his back groaning; Garoth rose in the air again and charged another energy ball. Taglo readied another Silver Arrow and Garoth tossed the orb against Link, who quickly blocked it with his mirror shield which absorbed the attack and began to glow with a purple aura.

"Link, what's happening to your shield?" asked Laila.

"I don't know," replied Link, raising his shield and blocking another attack; the mirror shield glowed with more intensity and started to vibrate.

"Link, I can't get a clear shot!" yelled Taglo.

"I'm doing what I can!" replied Link.

"What games are you playing, Hero?" asked Garoth, charging another orb of dark energy. "Fight like a man!" He launched his attack and Link lifted his shield again.

When the blast hit the mirror surface, Link felt how the vibrations of the shield increased; he was still aiming his shield at Garoth when it unleashed a mass of golden energy back at the Emissary. Garoth opened his eyes wide and lifted his hands forward to block the attack. The mass of energy hit Garoth's hands and he roared while trying to stop it, but Taglo took the chance to shoot another Silver Arrow.

When the point of the shaft pierced Garoth's chest plate, he lost his concentration on Link's attack and got the mass on energy full on the chest; his scream of rage shook the entire arena, as beams of light engulfed him.

"Taglo, shoot now!" yelled Link and Laila at the same time.

The Silver Arrow exploded upon impact with Garoth and he fell heavily on the floor. Link ran toward him and slashed his sword several times at the Emissary.

Garoth screamed in pain and anger, and Link backed away while he saw Garoth's cape starting to go ablaze. Taglo ran toward him with his bow ready, but Link held up a hand so that he stayed back. Garoth stood up and looked at him, his entire clothes and armor draped in a mantle of fire.

Black clouds started to twirl around them, and Link saw Garoth raise a hand at him; an enormous mass of black energy started to form in his hand.

"No more games... it's time to die... Hero," he said, and unleashed the energy at Link.

'"LINK!" yelled Taglo and Laila at the same time, just as Link pushed his fairy out of the way and cast the Nayru's Love.

The blue energy wall materialized in front of him as he held his hands forward, and the mass of dark energy hit it with a big loud shockwave. Link felt how a tremendous amount of energy was drained from him as he struggled to hold up his protective barrier, and soon he saw the spell starting to flicker as his strength started to fade away; the Triforce of Courage was now glowing intense in his hand. He felt how his whole body was now shaking due to the enormous effort that took for him to use the spell.

"You can't hold on forever!" yelled Garoth, and his eye lit up with a red glow as his pressure on the attack increased. "YOU CAN'T BEAT ME! ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE DARKNESS BY HIS SIDE CAN BE STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST MY POWER!"

As on cue, something then happened that stunned both Taglo and Laila, for Link had now an expression of pure rage and hatred in his face; his skin then started to turn coal-black, his clothes were now of a dark shade of gray and his eyes were starting to glow like if they were on fire.

"Link?" said Taglo, unable to understand what was going on. He had thought he had seen him like that when he saw Link fighting the dodongo, but he hadn't been sure then.

The barrier that protected Link fell, and the blast of Garoth's attack sent him flying against the wall, sending some rocks crumbling into the floor and some others being scattered all around the arena. The entire ground began to shake and Garoth laughed as he let down his hand ending his attack.

"LINK!" yelled Taglo and Laila at the same time, as they saw the energy dissipating and Link falling to the ground, still transformed into his dark self.

* * *

><p>"Now!" said Impa with a strong voice inside the other two priests' minds.<p>

Joy opened her eyes and raised her small hands at Faron, who started to radiate a strong golden glow. A beam of light shot upward from him and described an ark heading straight into the barrens.

Zurlo opened his eyes and raised his hands at Lanayru, whose body began to glow with intensity. A beam of golden light shot from Lake Hylia, heading into the deep of the barrens.

Impa also prayed while, atop the Arbiter's Grounds, two beams of light hit the golden orb shining above the tower, and the orb itself started to glow with the intensity of the stars.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Frozen789, you know I'm a cliffhanger-suspense-loving evil author... so why would you think this was the final chapter? :-D *evil gollum-like grin***

**Stay tuned for the next part of the confrontation with Garoth! **


	38. THE DARKEST HOUR

Oreana stabbed the last Gerudo and fell on her knees, dropping her sword and holding her hand against his bleeding tight. She also had a wound on her side, but that one had been only a superficial scratch. Viacka, Zelda and Oreana were about to ask her how she felt when a beam of light crossed the sky outside. Even though it was still clouded by the smoke, the two beams of light heading into the Barrens from the forest and the lake could be seen perfectly.

"What is that?" asked Tara.

"I don't know," replied Zelda, "but somehow it gives me hope."

"Link must be fighting Garoth," said Oreana, ripping a piece of his clothes and tying it around his tight. "Let's hope he beats him fast."

* * *

><p>The orb above was glowing intensely, beams of light erupting from it and dancing all around the arena. Garoth was looking from it to Link with an expression of puzzlement. Taglo gave a step forward toward Link, but Laila fluttered in front of him blocking the way.<p>

"No," she said. "He can't see you now or me in any case. He has turned into a specter of darkness now; he can only see that which belongs to the Dark Realm. Anything that he sees from the Light World he will consider it a threat."

"How do you know that?" asked Taglo, looking straight at her."

"It has happened before," replied the fairy. "Anything that he considers a threat, he will attack it."

Taglo looked at the Dark Link, who was now standing up and looking at Garoth.

"You won't fool me with your new trick!" said Garoth, looking at Link with contempt.

Link looked around him; he could see Garoth hovering a few feet away in front of him; there were two dark shadows several feet to his right: one of them was very small, the other one was larger. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he saw the gray distorted world around him. The only thing that was bright enough was Garoth, draped in a mantle of fire, raising his hand to charge a new mass of energy.

He ran forward as fast as he could and jumped into the air; Garoth tossed the energy orb at him but Link swung his sword, deflecting it back to its caster. Taglo saw the mass of energy hitting a surprised Garoth and, as the Emissary hovered there stunned by the beams of light, he shot a Silver Arrow at him.

Link landed on the floor and saw a beam of light going through Garoth, when he fell on the ground. Link slashed his sword several times at him and, with a sudden roar, Garoth stood up and swung his sword at Link, who was taken by surprise and was sent into the wall again.

Link stood up in pain, and he felt the wetness of the blood that dripped down his forehead. He ran toward Garoth who, in turn, ran toward Link; both of them raised their swords and clashed them with a shower of sparks and flames.

"So you DO have evil and darkness in your heart…" said Garoth with a smirk, as he and Link pushed their swords trying to break the other's stance. "But it is time for my Master to rise again." He pushed harder and Link stumbled as Garoth managed to break his defense. As he recovered, he realized that Garoth was holding the crystal orb with the Triforce of Power; before anyone could understand what he was doing, he placed the jewel in a small pedestal on top of the platform and the golden triangle inside disappeared.

"NO!" replied Link. Another beam of light pierced Garoth, who stumbled back and fell on the ground.

The golden orb of light above emitted the most intense glow and a beam of light was shot toward Link, who immediately felt how he returned to normal as the brightness involved him. He saw the world going back to normal and Garoth panting, a dot of light from the last Silver Arrow shining in the middle of his chest. Without wasting any more time, Link ran forward, leaped into the air and sunk his blade straight through the Emissary's heart, the tip of the sword sticking of from his back.

Link released the sword and walked backwards as he saw Garoth shaking in pain and anger, the blade still driven through his heart. A voice then spoke from within the orb of light:

"Now, Hero of Hyrule, reflect my Sacred Light at the Emissary of Darkness."

Link ran into the beam of light and grabbed his mirror shield; turning around, he pointed it at Garoth, who was immediately engulfed in the light that was reflected by the shield's polished surface. He let out a scream of rage, twisted in pain and, with a tremendous shockwave that sent Link flying and slamming against Taglo who was running toward him, Garoth's flames vanished.

* * *

><p>Oreana stood up fast when she heard Viacka's gasp, and all four of them saw as the barrier that kept them locked disappeared.<p>

"The barrier…" said Tara. "It's gone!"

"Link!" cried Zelda with delight.

"Come, we must leave, the Castle is still not safe!" said Oreana.

* * *

><p>"Is he…?" muttered Laila, while Link and Taglo groaned from the floor.<p>

Garoth's eyes were empty, the fire in them gone; Taglo and Link stood up as they saw Garoth fall sideways; his body was like a scorched piece of coal. Link walked up to him and tried to pull out his sword but, as soon as he extracted it, the blade turned into ashes. Link dropped the hilt and turned around to look at Taglo, but he and Laila were looking right above him.

Link looked up and saw a Spirit of Light floating above him; it looked like a gigantic golden eagle. As Link walked toward his friends the spirit turned into an orb of golden light again and a strong beam erupted from it into the black cloud above. Link, Taglo and Laila felt how they were sucked into the light and they closed their eyes.

* * *

><p>The cloud that covered the Barrens in darkness started to dissipate, the sky was once more clear and, all around Hyrule, people pointed at the beam of light that was now crossing the sky, driving away the clouds of smoke that involved Hyrule Field, heading toward Kakariko Village.<p>

Impa opened her eyes as the beam of light hit the shrine of Eldin; Link and Taglo were tossed out of the beam and fell onto the water of the shrine, both unconscious; then, another column rose into the black cloud above.

After a few seconds, all of Hyrule had been released from the mantle that covered it. When the pillar of light vanished, and the spirit smiled at Impa.

"Eldin…" said the Sage. "You brought company."

"I think it was too late," replied the spirit. "The Emissary released the Triforce of Power."

They looked at each other for a few seconds and then their expressions turned grim.

"You feel it too?" asked Impa.

"Yes," replied Eldin. "A great power still stirring in the desert."

"Impa," called Zurlo in her mind.

"Impa, what is this power that we feel?" asked Joy.

Impa simply lowered her head, for she had felt this power before.

* * *

><p>The colossal room deep under the Forsaken Fortress was completely empty. Suddenly, a light began to glow in the ceiling and a shining golden triangle started to descend into the black stone coffin right beneath; once it touched it, the triangle dissolved and there was a loud explosion. Pieces of stone were sent flying all over the room, as a black cloud filled it entirely. When the fog dissipated, a large strong-built bald man with dark skin, red beard and bright yellow eyes was standing where the coffin had been. He put on the armor and cape that was on the statue behind him and hung the sword from his waist.<p>

As the man looked at the back of his hand, he saw a golden triangle shining intensely on the back of it; his evil laughter echoed all around the fortress, and all the way into the land of Hyrule his power could be felt.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: to those who thought the story would end with Garoth's demise I say, SERIOUSLY? xD come on! what is Hyrule without Ganondorf!? It's like having Mario without Bowser, or Pac Man withough the colored anoying ghosts!**

**jlima: thanks for the compliment bro! I never thought of my story as a 'work of art' as you say it, but you honor it with the description.**

**Stay tuned! We're still far from the ending!**


	39. TOGETHER AGAIN

Link and Taglo came back to their senses and slowly tried to stand up; Impa helped them both and walked them out of the water. Many curious villagers were now approaching them and now looked at the golden spirit that floated above the pond of the shrine, some kneeling down in reverence and others with plain shocked expressions. Taglo looked up and recognized the Sheikah woman that was still holding his arm.

"Impa!" he said. He then looked around and saw the ruins of his birth town. "We're in Kakariko Village again!"

Link also looked up and thanked Impa, who immediately released them both and walked a few steps away.

"Are you both okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," replied Link. "Who are you?"

"I'm Impa, one of the ancient Sheikah and Sage of Shadows," she explained. "We'll have time to proper introductions later." She then turned to look at the Spirit of Light that was above the shrine.

"Link," said the Spirit of Eldin, "thank you for releasing me from my prison. After you defeated the Emissary of Darkness in this world light finally made its way back."

"What happened?" asked Laila fluttered out of Link's hat, slightly dizzy.

"Is it over?" asked Taglo.

"No," replied Impa. "It's far from over." Link sighed and sat down tired.

"Despite you efforts," said Eldin, "the Evil King has been reawakened. He will try to gather the remaining two pieces of the Triforce and use the power of the Goddesses to cover Hyrule in eternal darkness once and for all."

"How can I stop him?" asked Link.

"The Master Sword," said Impa. "It is one of the keys to destroy evil."

"Link, you must go now and get the Sacred Blade which rests within the ruins of the Temple of Time, deep inside the Sacred Grove; then, you have to travel to the two peaks of Hyrule, Death Mountain and Snow Peak Mountain, and slay the Spirits of Darkness that dwell there. Only when you destroy them will you hold the final keys to defeat Ganondorf."

"What are they?" asked Link.

"The Golden Bow the Light Arrows; along with the Master Sword, these are the sacred items that were created for the sole purpose of defending the world from Darkness," explained Impa.

Link nodded and stood up, but Eldin spoke up again:

"Link, you can only enter the lairs of the Spirits of Darkness, and that is through the Dark Realm."

"The Dark Realm?" asked Link confused.

"You've been there before, Link," said Laila. "Whenever you've turned into your specter form, you can walk on both worlds; however you only see that which belongs to the Dark Realm unless it is something that can also walk between both worlds, such as the Zora you fought in the Water Sanctuary."

Link opened his eyes in shock, he hadn't told her about the Zora he had killed.

"How did you…?" he began.

"When you wore the Zora's Armor we were connected mind to mind, Link," she explained in an empathic voice. "That's how I knew."

"How do I enter the Dark Realm?" he asked, turning again toward Impa and Eldin.

"In Kakariko Graveyard there is a large tomb," explained Impa. "It was once the entrance to the ancient Shadow Temple. When the Hero of Time lifted the curse upon it, we Sages turned the door of the tomb into the Door of the Dark Realm, and sealed it with our power."

"Link," said Eldin, "the Master Sword also serves as a key to open the link between worlds. You can enter the Dark Realm only if you use that key."

"When you enter the Dark Realm," continued Impa, "it will be different than when you turned into a specter in the Light World; you will still have the specter appearance, but you will still have the same conscience that you had when you entered the realm; also, you will completely vanish from this world until you use the Master Sword to return."

"Hero," said Eldin, "it worries us that the darkness seems to have entered your souls, due to the many times that you have turned into a specter without being touched by the darkness. You must resist this curse and fight it before you can claim the Master Sword, or else it will destroy you instead."

Link looked at Taglo and Laila, but they were looking at him with worry in their eyes. He wasn't sure what to think; his head was a storm of thoughts and fears and he felt more tired than he had ever felt in his whole life.

"You must go now," said Impa. "Head to the Forest Temple, use the Heart of Light to open the door to the Sacred Grove; then descend into the Temple of Time and claim the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time."

Link turned around to leave but Impa spoke up again:

"Link, I met your friend Oreana before, when she was getting out of the Barrens; if you ever get surrounded by Darkness again in the Light world, you must play the melody I taught her in order to cast it away from you."

Link smiled and the three of them left into Hyrule Field.

_"He is indeed a Hero of Light,"_ said Joy's voice in Impa's head.

_"Let's just hope he stays like that,"_ said Zurlo.

_"We must trust him… besides… Wisdom is always on his side…"_ replied Impa.

* * *

><p>All around the castle, soldiers were coming back to their senses after the defeat of Garoth; Oreana, Zelda, Viacka and Tara now were running through the corridors, seeing Royal Guards fighting against both monsters and Gerudo thieves. Oreana slashed her sword at a bokoblin and kicked him as he fell dead on the floor; she hadn't noticed the big skulltula that was descending from above, hanging from a thick thread of web.<p>

Zelda saw the spider while Oreana fought another bokoblin, quickly reached for the Sheikah's crossbow and shot at the skulltula's head. The creature fell on her back, dead with her legs twisted, and Oreana killed the bokoblin; she turned to look at the Princess with wide eyes.

"I guess that's a skill I didn't know I had," she said with a shrug.

"Okay," said Oreana, "let's move on, Princess."

They exited the Castle and headed toward the stables. Zelda led them to a couple of horses and they climbed up in pairs; Oreana with Tara holding on to her back, and Princess Zelda with Viacka behind her.

"We must head to the Faron Woods!" yelled Oreana. "Link should meet us there in a couple of days."

"My Lady, look!" yelled Viacka, pointing above the Castle.

The black cloud that had dissipated from above Hyrule Castle was starting to form again; tentacles of mist were now descending from the shroud that was appearing over the Castle. The gates of the Castle were then blasted apart, and Zelda and Oreana steered their horses back into the stables. From their hiding place, they were able to see the black stallion galloping through the shattered gates, heading straight into the Castle; a tall man, with dark skin, red beard and yellow eyes, was riding the horse.

"Stay quiet," told them Oreana. "I don't know who that is, but I don't think he's a friend." She leaned forward to look at the rider, her skin crawling for some reason. She couldn't be sure, but something made her think that this man was no other than the Evil King that they had been trying to stop from resurrecting: Ganondorf. Did this mean that Link…

_"Please Link… please be okay,"_ she said in her mind.

They all waited for the man to disappear inside the Castle and then galloped away into the now ruined ghost town that surrounded the Castle.

* * *

><p>Ganondorf walked through the corridors of Hyrule Castle, ignoring the soldiers who were now running away, heading into the stables so that they could flee to other towns. He climbed up the stairs Castle, as the tentacles of dark clouds outside engulfed it, and reached the empty room where Zelda had been held captive. When he realized she had escaped, he let out a scream of rage, unleashing his anger in a strong wave of energy.<p>

* * *

><p>Oreana and Zelda pulled the reins of their horses; they were now outside of Castle Town and into Hyrule Field when they heard a loud blast, turned around and saw the clouds surrounding the Castle start to spiral around it and a beam of dark energy rise into the cloud above in the sky.<p>

"I guess he knows we've escaped," said Zelda.

"Come on," said Oreana, "we must find refuge in the Forest Temple before it's too late."

They urged their horses again and galloped at full speed toward the forest.

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo were now galloping fast toward the forest. They had seen the column of energy being shot from the Castle into the sky, and Link had been praying with all his heart that Oreana had already been able to escape with Tara and the Princess. They hadn't been going on for long when Link spotted two mire horses galloping ahead, followed closely by a pair of bulbin archers riding boars.<p>

"Taglo," yelled Link, "over there! Shoot!"

Link also pulled out his bow as they both aimed at the bulbins ahead.

* * *

><p>Viacka's grip on Zelda's waist was failing; an arrow had pierced her shoulder and she was bleeding profusely. Zelda aimed the crossbow and shot a bolt but it missed its target. She then saw the two riders galloping toward them; one of them was clad in green clothing and hat.<p>

"Oreana, over there!" she yelled, as an arrow flew past her head.

Oreana saw Link, and someone else who she couldn't recognize from afar, and pulled the reins to guide the horse in that direction. Zelda did the same and Viacka's grip became weaker.

* * *

><p>One of the bulbins fell dead when Link's arrow pierced its chest. The other got Taglo's arrow in the head and rolled out of its mount. The four horses gathered into one group and their riders, without even stopping to look at each other, urged them forward as the galloped into the distance.<p> 


	40. INTO THE SACRED GROVE

**A/N: Okay... we're almost done with the third part of this story. This one was written thinking specially of my dear follower Frozen789 (man, this chapter is your dream coming true! xD)**

**OH! And I've run out of internet on my phone! TT_TT no more overnight updates...**

* * *

><p>They reached the edge of the forest when it was nearly sundown. Link and Taglo quickly climbed down of their horses and helped Zelda, who was having trouble with supporting a nearly unconscious Viacka.<p>

"We must take her to the village," said Link. "Taglo, can you carry her?"

Oreana's eyes opened wide with shock when she finally saw Taglo's face.

"Taglo... you're alive!" she cried.

"Oreana," said Link, "we can catch up later. Right now we must heal her."

"I can try to do it, Link," said Laila.

"Laila, you're too weak already," said Link.

"Link..." Tara climbed down from behind Oreana and put a hand on Link's arm; Oreana glared at her but nobody noticed. "Link, there is an old woman who lives closer by. She took care of me when my dad and I were attacked right after we left the Castle. She brews potions."

"True!" yelled Oreana snapping out of her jealously attack. "The guy from the local bazaar in Lake Town said once that his mother lived in the forest."

"Let's take Viacka there first, then," said Zelda.

They climbed onto their horses again, Taglo now carrying Viacka and, to Oreana's annoyance, Tara climbed up behind Link.

"Let's go!" called Link. "Tara, show us the way."

They ventured into the forest for a couple hours and then Tara pointed at a shimmering light ahead. They entered a small clearing lit by torches, a small house in the middle. Tara climbed down from the horse and ran toward the house.

"Madame Salema!" she yelled. "Madame Salema, it's me, Tara!"

Madame Salema opened the door and came out with an expression of affectionately sweet surprise; Tara smiled at her and the old lady smiled back.

"Oh, hello dear!" she said. "I see that you're feeling much better now." She looked behind Tara and opened her eyes with a smile. "You've brought friends!"

Tara hurriedly explained to her what had happened and the old lady nodded and asked them to come into the house and place Viacka on the bed. Taglo leaned the maid on her side so that Madame Salema could properly examine the wound. Zelda was pacing around, biting the tips of her gloves' fingers while Link, Tara and Oreana sat at the table in the dining room in silence.

Link had removed his chest plate, which now rested against a wall along with his mirror shield and the rest of his weapons; Oreana had also dropped the Hylian Shield and her gear by Link's stuff; Taglo, however, remained fully geared up with a hand resting on the hilt of his sword. After a few minutes, Madame Salema came to them with a grim look on her face.

"She's been badly poisoned and lost a lot of blood," she said.

"Poisoned?" asked Zelda intrigued.

"Sometimes, bulbins taint their weapons with poison, and the arrow that pierced this blessed child's shoulder was impregnated in a strong poison," she explained.

"Can you heal her?" asked Tara.

"I gave her some red potion to gain some time," replied Madame Salema, "but I need to give her something stronger to stop the poison. Unfortunately, I need a rare kind of mushrooms to brew the antidote, and I don't have any left."

"Which type of mushrooms?" asked Tara. "Link and I can go find them." She eyed Link and smiled.

"I need Link to explain to me what happened after we parted," said Oreana sourly.

"I can go with her," said Laila. "That way Tara will have some light."

Madame Salema explained Tara and Laila how and where to find the mushrooms and then turned to the other three with a smile, while Tara and Laila exited the house.

"You all look weary and hungry," she said. "Allow me to provide you with medicine, food and rest."

Soon Link, Zelda, Taglo and Oreana were sitting at the table together, bowls with hot stew and grain in front of them, after having had a flask of red potion each. Link had been explaining them what had happened against Garoth and the quest that the Spirit of Eldin had given him; Taglo then explained his miraculous return from the dead. All the time Link and Oreana, who were sitting next to each other, had been unconsciously holding hands over the table.

Zelda had remained silent during the whole conversation. After they had finished eating, she excused herself to the others and left the table, exiting the house. The two Sheikah looked at Link and nodded; he stood up and exited after the Princess.

"Your highness?" he asked tentatively while approaching her.

Zelda had removed her glove and was looking at the Triforce of Wisdom glowing on the back of her hand.

"It's started," was all she said.

"It will all soon be over, I promise," said Link while standing next to her.

"I'm sorry, Link," sobbed Zelda, turning her face away while a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm sorry that because of me you're stuck in this."

Link didn't know why he did it, but he placed his hand under her chin and turned her face at him again, wiping the tear with his thumb. Zelda smiled at him and he returned the smile while he gently withdrew his hand.

"This is the destiny that the Goddesses laid down for me," he said. "It was meant to happen like this."

"Once all of this is over, I'm guessing that you'll return to the village," replied the Princess. "You may stop by the Castle at any time then; I wish for us to be friends after all of this."

"I will, Princess," he replied.

"Friends have no title," she said, "just call me Zelda."

"I…" said Link with doubt, "that wouldn't be appropriate."

"Then at least in private, when we are just two friends," replied Zelda with a smile, placing a hand on his arm.

"I will… Zelda," replied Link, though he felt awkward by calling her by her name.

Zelda gave him a gentle hug and turned back toward the house. She was about to enter when Oreana came out. The Princess smiled at her and looked at Link, who was still standing with his back turned at them looking at the skies.

"He's a fine strong man," said Zelda. "Take good care of him."

Oreana's cheeks went red as the Princess entered the house; she then walked up to Link and stood by him in silence. After a few seconds, she finally spoke up:

"Link, I'm sorry for..." she began.

"Don't," cut her Link. He looked at her and she sighed in relief when she saw him smiling at her.

"Link... I..." she tried again.

"Oreana, it doesn't matter," interrupted Link again, placing a hand on her cheek. She lifted her hand and placed it on top of his. "The only thing I care about is that you are safe and sound again, and that your mad behavior from before is completely gone."

Oreana smiled and then looked at Link in realization; she had completely forgotten about the errand that Impa had given her. She quickly apologized and ran into the house while Link stared at her in astonishment; when she came out, she was carrying her lyre and the Ocarina of Time.

"Link, Impa taught me a melody that she wanted me to teach you," she said as she gave him the Ocarina of Time.

"Yes, she did mention something about that," replied Link.

"Don't forget this melody, whenever you want to drive the darkness away in the light world," she said as she began to play.

Link followed the notes one by one, first in canon and then together, feeling how a light breeze involved them for a few seconds before they both began to emit a golden light.

"Link," she said with a smile, "this is the Prelude of Light."

They stared at each other for a few seconds; Link thought how beautiful she looked in that golden glow, walked toward her and hugged her taking her by surprise. Oreana stood still for a few seconds and then hugged him back. None of them said anything for about a minute that lasted the embrace and the glow faded away, and they only released each other when they heard a rustling sound coming from the trees nearby. Link covered Oreana and then they both sighed in relief when Tara and Laila appeared, both of them giggling about something, the first one carrying an armful of purple toadstools.

"Tara, you okay?" asked Link.

"We're okay," said Tara. "Link, I like your fairy, she's fun!" They laughed again, even Oreana, and then walked back inside of the house.

Madame Salema started to brew the antidote immediately and told Link and the others to get some rest. Link argued about it, saying that he wanted to head to the Forest Temple as soon as possible, but Taglo and Oreana threatened him with tying him up to the bed if he didn't get some sleep.

They all slept through the night, and were woken up by the scent of warm just-baked bread and oatmeal. As Link entered the kitchen, he saw Zelda, Taglo and Oreana already sitting at the table having breakfast. Tara was helping a weak Viacka into a seat while Madame Salema set a bowl of oatmeal in front of her and Laila fluttered nearby. Link couldn't remember the last time he had a breakfast like this, so he immediately sat down at the table as everybody else smiled at him; Oreana couldn't help but suppress a giggle at his face.

"What?" he asked.

"For someone who didn't want to sleep, you seem to be pretty rested," said Taglo with a chuckle.

"What's the time?" asked Link.

"Around ten in the morning," replied Tara.

Link stood up and was about to complain that why nobody had awoken him when Madame Salema grabbed his arm with surprising strength despite her age and forced him to sit down again.

"You're a growing boy, my dear," she said. "You must eat so you can grow strong!"

Tara, Oreana and Zelda couldn't suppress a laugh while Link looked at them a bit embarrassed. They all ate their breakfast chatting lively; Viacka was already recovering from the poisoning, thanks to Madame Salema's blue potion. She told the others that she could take care of her while they left to the Forest Temple and Tara said that she would stay there and help.

Even though Madame Salema made a point to complain, Link gave her a hundred rupees as acknowledgment for her help and hospitality, and promised to return the favor as soon as he could (none of them had mentioned anything about the fall of Lake Town, where her son had been the owner of the local bazaar, and Link thought that it would be better to inform her some other time).

A couple hours later, after the horses had been saddled and Tara gave Link a peck on the cheek which made Oreana frown. The horse that Link was riding was a bit reluctant to go into the forest making Link miss Epona, who was still at the Hidden Village. They managed to cross the forest without any inconveniences until they got to see the meadow where the entrance of the Forest Temple was located. They crossed the threshold of the temple and Link saw Joy skipping happily their way.

"Dear Goddesses," sighed Taglo, "here we go again."

"Oreana, Princess Zelda, stay here with Taglo," said Link.

"Yeah, sure," said Oreana with sarcasm.

"Link," spoke up Zelda, "I think it will be better if we all go together."

Link didn't have a chance to reply, as Joy came to them and knelt before the Princess.

"Your highness," she said with her cute girly voice, "it is an honor to have you come visit our temple."

Zelda knelt and took Joy's hands between hers with a deep smile.

"The honor is all mine, to be in the house of Faron," she replied.

"The Spirit of Faron wishes to speak with you all, Your Grace," said Joy with a solemn tone that Link had never hear in her.

Joy led Zelda while the others followed them behind. Taglo and Oreana walked with Link, while Laila fluttered around them; Taglo asked in a whisper:

"Is she really a girl?"

"Not really," explained Link. "She is actually a Kokiri, maybe the last of her kind." They both noticed them for the first time the small fairy that followed the priestess.

They entered the shrine and all of them gasped when they saw the majestic Spirit of Faron floating in front of them. He looked at Zelda and bowed his head, speaking with reverence:

"It is an honor to see you, Your Grace."

Link bent and spoke to Joy in a whisper.

"Why is he calling her like that?" he asked.

"The Princess of Destiny and the Goddess of Time are, and have always been, one and the same," she explained; Link, Taglo and Oreana were in shock.

"I asked you all to come here, for there are some things that you must know," said Faron; they all turned to look at the spirit. "Link, Hero of Light… Zelda, Emissary of Light… only you carry the pieces that the Goddesses left to your ancestors to care. You are the ones marked by destiny and only you can bring forth the light. Your Grace, only your divine power can break the seal that was placed upon the treasures of light that have been hidden in the Dark Realm; therefore, you and Link will both have to cross the link between worlds."

Zelda gasped and Link stepped forward.

"How can that be? We can't expose the princess to that risk!" he said.

"That is why you will have to defend her at any cost, Hero of Light," replied Faron.

They all looked at each other in silence. Taglo then stepped forward and asked Faron:

"Can we go with them?"

"Unfortunately, only those who carry the mark of the Goddesses can enter the Dark Realm without losing themselves and turning into servants of Darkness." Faron closed his eyes.

"Link…" said Zelda, her voice breaking a bit.

"I guess we must get the Master Sword now, then…" said Link, looking at her.

They made a reverence to Faron and Joy led them outside and into the garden where the door to the Sacred Grove lay. They all stood back while Link pulled out the Heart of Light and placed it in the slot on the door. Joy then returned to Faron's presence, knelt in front of him and started to pray:

_Oh, Priests of Hyrule,_

_pray with me in this hour of Darkness…_

_Oh, Guardian Spirits of Light,_

_listen to thy servants and open the door,_

_for the Hero has come…_

In Lanayru, at the bottom of Lake Hylia, deep inside the Water Sanctuary, Zurlo prayed as the Spirit of Lanayru started to glow with intensity. In Kakariko Village, people saw with wonder how Impa knelt in front of the shrine and the Spirit of Eldin started to glow like a golden sun. In his own shrine, Faron started to emit a majestic glow of golden light.

Link, Taglo, Oreana and Zelda saw how the gem that Link had placed in the door started to give a faint light, which slowly started to increase until they had to cover their eyes in order to keep looking. They gasped as the door slowly stared to slide backwards, and they realized that it was actually a block. The glow slowly started to dim, until the Heart of Light was only sparkling with an iridescent light inside.

They walked into the entrance a saw a long staircase that took them along a rocky cliff and deep down into a valley covered in a strange forest. They all looked at each other and, after a small nod, they crossed the threshold.


	41. THE MASTER SWORD

**A/N: just a short heads-up... for the Temple of Time in this story, I got the inspiration from the one in Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time.**

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><p>"Link, over there!" yelled Oreana pointing over a tall tree stump.<p>

Link turned around and saw the imp disappear again. He and Taglo were sweating in frustration, while Zelda, Laila and Oreana looked in every direction.

"Where is he?" asked Taglo, lamenting once again the loss of his other eye.

"Link!" yelled Laila.

Link saw the imp and jumped forward to grab him, but the imp danced away and smiled before vanishing.

"Argh!" screamed Link. "How did we get into this again?"

_Laila fluttered ahead of them when they reached the bottom of the stairway. Link, Taglo, Zelda and Oreana looked around them at the trees that grew very close to each other. There were several paths that went into the trees, and they soon realized that some of them led into clearings, while others were dead ends or simply returned to where they had been before. It didn't take them long to get lost._

_"Just as I thought," said Laila._

_"What?" asked Link._

_"This is a very ancient place, Link," she explained. "The only way to cross this forest is by getting guidance from someone who knows it."_

_"Should we go get Joy?" asked Oreana._

_"We're lost," said Taglo. "How do you expect to go back?"_

_"Maybe Laila can fly out of the forest and bring her," suggested Zelda._

_"I can't," replied the fairy. "The magic that involves and protects this place, avoiding others from entering it if not through the door in the Forest Temple, doesn't even allow me to fly higher than the top of the trees."_

_"Laila, what is this place?" asked Link impatient._

_"This IS the Sacred Grove," she replied, "though it used to be called The Lost Woods."_

_They groaned and Taglo murmured something like "how appropriate," before slumping on the floor. It was then that Zelda pointed into one of the paths leading out of the clearing and the all turned to look at an imp that was staring at them curiously._

_"You guys lost? He-he-he," he asked. He was very short and seemed to be made out of wood._

_"Yes, we are," replied Oreana in the sweetest voice. "Can you help us?"_

_"You are looking for the temple, right?" he asked, still grinning at them._

_"Yes," said Link, "can you help us get there?"_

_"Yes, I can help you," replied the imp, walking toward Link and tilting his head. "But only if you catch me!"_

_Link didn't react fast enough, for the imp snapped his fingers and appeared a couple feet into the path. Taglo and Link slammed against each other when they jumped at him and he vanished by snapping his fingers again._

Link wiped the sweat from his brow and felt someone poking his shoulder. He turned around stumbled, and fell on his back when he saw the imp's faces inches away from his. The imp cackled and disappeared again while sticking out his tongue at them. Link and Taglo were starting to get annoyed by this little game. They were about to complain once more when they heard a lively tune echoing from the next clearing.

Link and Taglo ran forward and entered the meadow; the imp was playing a small wooden flute and dancing along with the music. Link and Taglo lunged at him and bumped heads when the imp disappeared again.

"Guys," said Oreana, "as much fun as this show may have been at first, I'm starting to get bored of this."

"Then why don't YOU try to catch him, huh?" asked Taglo, now clearly pissed.

They then heard a slow tune playing, its soothing sound echoing all around the meadow. They turned around and saw Zelda playing a sweet lullaby on a silver flute, eyes closed and a relaxed expression on her face. To everyone's surprise, the imp fell from a tree branch above them, sound asleep. Zelda stopped playing her flute, placed a hand on the imp's back and smiled triumphantly while saying with a giggle: "got him!"

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><p>The imp had taken his time to wake up and, when he finally did, he bowed to the Princess.<p>

"If I'd known that you where here I'd have let you pass right away, your highness," he said.

"Can we go through now, then?" asked Link in annoyance.

"Oh, yes," replied the imp with a grin, "this way fellows!"

They walked for about an hour, unable to memorize which passages the imp had taken them through, until they reached a clearing: it was a dead end; a rocky wall covered in vines was in front of them.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" asked Link.

"You wanted to go into the temple, right?" asked the imp. "Well, to the temple I'll take you."

The imp started to rip apart some of the vines and Link saw that not the entire wall was made of rock; a large gate came into view when the imp removed the vines; when he finished his task, he bowed to them, snapped his fingers and disappeared. Taglo helped Link to push the gate open and they walked along a tunnel for a few minutes until they reached the other end. Link heard Zelda gasp and Oreana grabbed his hand, all of them falling silent due to the shock of what was now in front of them.

They were in another large clearing, right in front of the ruins of an old edification. At first sight, it seemed like it had once been some kind of a cathedral, like the one in Hyrule Castle Town where the altar to the goddess Hylia was, but then Link saw the Emblem of the Royal Family of Hyrule, with the Triforce crafted in gold, engraved at the top of the farthest wall, one of the few still standing; almost the entire structure had crumbled with the passing of ages, yet the wall behind the stone altar, were the emblem was engraved, was still as good as new.

They crossed the crumbling arch that had once been the door to the temple and climbed down a set of stairs. Link saw a large hexagonal plate in the middle of the ruins with the Triforce engraved into it. They walked up to the altar and Taglo pointed out two small rounded platforms on each side. Zelda approached the altar as well and looked at the wall behind it which had engraved, under the emblem of the Royal Family, a strange symbol: an orb with beams of light erupting from it.

"Link," she said without looking at him, "this is the Temple of Time… and this wall… this is the Door of Time!"

Link walked up to her and noticed an inscription carved into the stone altar; he read it out loud:

_Ye who carry the voices of the Goddess of Time,_

_may thy prayer be heard._

"What does that mean?" asked Taglo, but Link and Oreana were looking at each other and nodded. "What's going on?"

"Taglo," said Oreana, "the lyre that Mazara gave me, she told me that it was called the Goddess' Harp, and that it had been a heirloom of the Royal Family of Hyrule ever since the old days, when the first people came from the skies. According to the legend, it was found here, in the Temple of Time, by the Goddess Hylia's incarnation."

"And the Ocarina of Time," said Link, "well, Mazara did teach me the Song of Time, didn't she?"

Link and Oreana stood each on one of the platforms that were on each side of the altar and took out their instruments. Oreana started to play a soft arpeggio, and on cue, Link started to follow along with the melody of the Song of Time. Wind started to blow all around them, a soft breeze that soothed them while Link and Oreana played the melody; the gold Triforce on top of the wall started to glow and a thin crack appeared in the middle of the wall, which slowly started to open up, a doorway appearing in front of them leading into a stone corridor. When the door stopped opening, Link and Oreana stopped playing.

"Link, isn't that...!?" started Laila.

"It's the legendary blade... The Master Sword!" finished Zelda.

Link ran into the corridor along with Zelda, while Taglo and Oreana followed them closely behind. They reached a large hexagonal room, its tall walls crumbling; a beam of sunlight filtered through the tree branches above, illuminating a stepped platform in the middle of the chamber. Link walked forward toward the beam of light which involved a small stone pedestal, the Triforce symbol engraved into it, and admired the beautiful blade that was embedded into it.

The Master Sword had an elegant polished blade, untainted by the passing of the ages, which emitted a soft silver glow; the hilt of the sword was of a dark shade of blue, with a dark green leather strip wrapped around the handle; its w-shaped hand guard was crafted with exquisite detail; a golden gem was embedded on each side, where the hilt and blade were forged together. Finally, Link saw the emblem of the Triforce engraved into the blade.

Link felt his hands sweaty; he had heard about the beauty of the Sacred Blade, yet he had never been able to imagine it with such detail. To think that less than two weeks ago he thought that the Legend of the Hero of Time was a mere myth and bedtime story, and now he was now in front of the one relic that he had never thought to be real.

"Link?" asked Oreana.

"Link, it's time…" said Taglo.

"Claim what is yours to wield by right, Link," said Zelda with a smile.

With hands shaking, Link slowly and with reverence wrapped his hands around the hilt of the sword and, without further hesitance or mayor effort, pulled it out of the pedestal; he pointed it upward and then a halo of blue light involved them, turning into a beam that shot up into the skies and a strong wind started to blow around him.

"LINK!" called Zelda, Taglo, Laila and Oreana, as they saw him turn into stone.

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><p><strong>AN: We've reached the end of the third part, (or season xD) of The Age of Darkness... What will happen to Link? Will he be able to wield the Sacred Blade accept him or destroy him as Eldin said? What will happen to Hyrule now that Ganondorf is back and pissed about Zelda's escape? Stay tuned!**

**To all of those who have been reviewing up until now, I'd like to thank you for your continuous support all this time. Your comments have been the ones increasing my writer spirit and my inspiration as I struggle to finish a story for the first time in my life xD... to those who have been following in silence, come on! leave a comment! :-D don't be shy! I don't bite... and neither does the review button :3**

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><p><strong>SNEAK PREVIEW TO PART IV OF "THE AGE OF DARKNESS"<strong>

**RATED "S" FOR SPOILERS!**

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><p><strong>It is a dark time for the land of Hyrule. Ganondorf, the Evil King of Darkness, has returned...<strong>

**Link has already released the Spirits of Light, and now has pulled out the Sacred Blade out of his pedestal...**

**But he still has another trial to endure...**

_"You have kept me trapped within you for long enough," said the dark shadow approaching._

_"Who are you?" asked Link, squinting through the fog that surrounded him._

_"I'm your worst fear..." replied the shadow, coming into view._

**It is Time for the link between worlds to be opened...**

_"Only you can save Hyrule," said Impa. "There is nobody else."_

**It is Time for dangers and fears to be faced at last...**

_"Link!" yelled Zelda, as she saw Link falling down the cliff._

_"ZELDA!"_

**Time for Courage and Wisdom to fight along...**

_"Don't let go..." murmured Link, and he held her while they both jumped into the icy ledge of the mountain._

**The Spirits of Darkness ar waiting...**

_Link dodged the flames and swung his sword with all his strenght, while Zelda aimed the bow at the Dragon's head._

**COURAGE**

_"We have to do this! It is our fate!" yelled Link._

**WISDOM**

_"Please be careful, Link," yelled Zelda, hugging him tightly "remember that you're not a God!"_

**POWER**

_"These fools have been left to wander too much..." muttered Ganondorf. "It is time to put an end to this game."_

**When Darkness an Light confront... only ONE can prevail...**

**xxxxxxxx**

**THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE AGE OF DARKNESS**

**PART IV: THE DARK REALM**

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><p><strong>COMING SOON BY RICK GIRIAMAX<strong>


	42. INNER DEMONS

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've been flooded with work and haven't been able to update so fast as I used to u_u (besides, I was wating for a few more reviews before publishing T_T). For this part of the story and on, it will be WAY darked than the previous one and I will try to make it so you keep holding to your seat due to the action. Also, to let you know that this we're nearing the end of this story, so that means that soon Link will face the Evil King :-D... will Light prevail? will Darkness consume the land of Hyrule?**

**I'd also like to dedicate this chapter to my constant reviewers so far: Ayako Zetra and Frozen789 (read his story, Legend of the Lost Princess! It's very cool!), and also to my newest reviewer: JayGill (thanks for the great and encouraging review!)**

**Without further presentation, I give you Part IV: The Dark Realm**

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><p>Link felt how the Master Sword came out of the pedestal easily; he pointed it upward and then a halo of blue light involved them, turning into a beam that shot up into the skies and a strong wind started to blow around him. He heard Zelda, Taglo, Laila and Oreana calling his name, but then it was too bright for him to be able to see anything, and the wind was blowing too hard for him to hear anything else. When the light finally dimmed, and the wind stopped blowing, Link opened his eyes only to find himself standing in the middle of a white fog.<p>

He realized the weight on his hand and saw the Master Sword in his grip; he held it up and admired the blade, finely crafted and surprisingly not dented. He swung it a couple of times and then twirled it in his hand before sheathing it. He looked at the scabbard that hung from his waist, dark blue with gold and silver details, and elegantly crafted.

Link looked around again and gave a few steps forward, hearing a faint splashing sound. He looked down and knelt, noticing that he seemed to be standing in some sort of marsh, water barely half an inch in depth. He then heard some more splashing sounds, like if someone was walking toward him from within the fog. He stood up and squinted into the mist, trying to see who was coming.

"Hello?" he called; no response. "Anybody there?" he called again.

The splashing steps seemed to be getting closer; an unsettling feeling revolved within him. As he slowly drew out the Master Sword and the Mirror Shield, he looked around him in an attempt to see whoever was approaching before he could be taken by surprise. He then managed to see a faint shadow deep into the fog; it looked like a man was walking his way, firm steps splashing in the water while he approached.

"Who are you?" yelled Link.

He then heard a metallic sound, like a sword being pulled out of its scabbard, and he noticed that the man walking toward him now had a long sword in one hand, and was holding a shield in the other; Link quickly adopted a defensive stance.

"Don't come any closer!" he yelled. "I'm warning you!"

He heard a chuckle that made his skin crawl; he could now feel an evil aura coming from the shadow, which kept advancing his way. Link then heard a voice speaking to him, echoing like if it was coming from within the underworld itself; it came from the shadow.

"You have kept me trapped within you for long enough," said the dark shadow approaching.

Link's breathing was steadily increasing, and he could feel his heartbeat in his chest against the metal chest plate that he was wearing. The dark shadow kept advancing without any hesitance.

"Who are you?" asked Link, squinting through the fog that surrounded him.

He then managed to distinguish the contour of the man, wearing a long hat that fell behind his head.

"I'm your worst fear..." replied the shadow, coming into view. "Call me Shadow."

The fog started to dissipate, and Link gasped and nearly fell back as he recoiled, for he could see his own face staring back at him with evil red eyes and dark hair; the doppelganger had exactly the same outfit that Link was wearing, and even the sword he was holding was an exact copy of the Master Sword. The only difference between Link and Shadow was the color of their skin, eyes and clothes, for Shadow looked exactly the way he had seen himself when he had turned into a specter.

"Link…" said the demon, "I have been waiting for this moment to come… it is time for me to step out and claim your mind and body once and for all."

"You won't be able to defeat me…" said Link.

"You can't beat me!" replied Shadow with a chuckle. "I am you and you are me! You can't kill me without feeling that you are killing yourself! But I can…"

Link raised his shield just as Shadow jumped and swung his sword forward, hitting the polished surface of the mirror shield. Link swung the Master Sword sideways and Shadow did a back flip, landing out of reach. Link swung his sword again, but Shadow dodged it one more time. The doppelganger then swung his own sword and Link screamed as the blade made a cut in his arm; he quickly held his hand to the wound and glared at his dark self, who was now laughing at him.

"I know all of your movements," he said. "You can't take me by surprise!"

Link charged his spin attack and unleashed it on his opponent, who quickly dodged it with a laugh. Shadow swung his sword again and Link parried it with the Master Sword, swung his shield hitting Shadow on the chest and slashed. This time, the blade hit its mark and a deep cut appeared on Shadow's arm. Screaming in pain, Link saw how his enemy's eyes were on fire due to the rage.

"You'll pay for that!" he yelled as he swung his sword.

Link blocked it with his shield and slashed with the Master Sword again, but Shadow blocked it with his own shield. Their swords clashed as they both slashed at the same time and Link nearly stumbled when Shadow started to push his blade against him, trying to break his defense.

"Don't resist... you can't win," said Shadow.

"I have the Goddesses on my side," replied Link. "And I have Courage on my side..."

The Triforce of Courage began to glow on the back of Link's hand and the Master Sword sparkled with a silvery light. Link pushed with all his strength and Shadow lost his balance, stumbling backwards as Link swung the Sacred Blade once, slicing right through Shadow. The specter screamed as the Master Sword went right through him, as if his body was made out of smoke, and he dissolved into a thin fog and dissipated in the air.

Link fell on his knees and then crumbled into the floor. He could feel the water soaking through his clothes and his eyelids heavy. There seemed to be someone else approaching, however he had no strength left to look up. Whoever was approaching, Link could feel a strong energy flowing from him or her. He began closing his eyes when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It is improper for a Hero to be on the ground, resting while Her Grace is in peril..." said a high pitched voice. It didn't sound like any other form of speech he had ever heard, yet he was able to perfectly understand every word. "There is a 95% chance that Hyrule will fall if you don't get up right now... it's time to awake, Link..."

He opened his eyes at the mention of his name and slowly started to get up. He looked up and saw some form of female spirit smiling at him; she had a long cape that waved despite the absence of wind and a blue and purple slim body. Link stood up and realized that she was a lot shorter than him.

"Having been programmed by the Goddesses," she said, "I may not be entirely accurate with mortal feelings, yet I still have in my memory bank the feelings that I discovered when we went together to the aid of Her Grace, so I guess the proper greeting for me to say is: I'm happy to see you again?"

Link looked confused; this spirit spoke in a very cryptic way and his head throbbed in pain.

"I'm sensing an elevated level of adrenaline and an increase of your blood pressure," said the spirit. "Am I right to say that you're experiencing some kind of headaches? Also, your heart rate is increasing by..."

"Stop it!" cut her Link. "Who are you?"

"I can see that, in your case, memories aren't passed down from generations such as happens with single cells or spirits like me," said the spirit. "In this case I guess I should introduce myself. I am the spirit that lives within the Master Sword; I have been slumbering ever since your ancestor put it to rest for the first time. I have never been able to interact again with your ancestors, despite of the promise to meet again that I made back then, but I have always been there taking care. My name, if we can say I have one, is Fi."

"Where are we?" asked Link.

"We are in my realm," explained Fi. "We are inside the Master Sword."

"How did I get here?"

"When you broke the seal on the Sacred Blade, the sword sensed evil in your heart so it couldn't allow you to claim it. You were then turned to stone and your soul was sealed into the sword until your heart was pure again."

"I need to go back."

"I can send you back now, for Her Grace needs you, but I wanted to see you again."

Link knelt and took her hands between his; he could have sworn he saw a tear rolling down Fi's cheek.

"Listen," he said, "I've purged my inner demons... I need to go back now. I understand that you miss your friend, my ancestor, but I'm not him."

Fi smiled and tilted her head.

"I understand that," she said. "I'm still grateful that I was able to see you, Link."

Light started to involve him; he felt the wind gusting around him and he closed his eyes, hearing Fi's voice from afar:

"Take good care of Her Grace." She made a pause and added, "until we meet again..."


	43. INTO THE HOUSES OF THE DEAD

**A/N: I never expected to get three reviews so fast xD! I'm so happy that I'm going to publish next chapter right now!  
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**bookwormsrule and Frozen789: I haven't played Skyward Sword yet :(... but I love Fi so much because of what I've read about her that I actually had to include her in my story. Yes, it was a sad encounter, but don't worry, this may not be the last we read from her (if you pardon the ambiguous spoiler)... thing is that I actually spent HOURS reading walkthroughs, watching videos, reading her profile in Zelda Wikia and the scripts for Skyward Sword in order to understand the way she acts and speaks (kinda Vulcan, if you ask my opinion) so that I could write about her like this... I'm not sure if Miyamoto would agree with me, but I did the best I could.**

**Well, I hope you enjoy this part!**

* * *

><p>"Link!" cried Oreana while grabbing Link's stone arm.<p>

"Oreana!" yelled Zelda with tears in her eyes.

Taglo was standing still where he had been when Link pulled out the Master Sword. He was fighting hard to hold back the tears that were trying to come out, not wanting to admit that Eldin's warning had come true. Laila was fluttering around him, speechless, and both Zelda and Oreana cried while kneeling in front of the stone statue that had once been Link.

Zelda and Oreana stood up and were walking away from the statue when they felt the gust of wind again; they all looked at the statue and saw that a halo of blue light was involving it again. They both gasped while Taglo looked at the statue too and they all saw the statue coming back to normal, Link falling unconscious on the floor and the Master Sword clanking loudly next to him.

"Link!" yelled Oreana, running toward him and holding him in her arms.

"Is he alive?" asked Taglo, running toward them. Zelda knelt and placed two fingers beneath Link's jaw.

"He's alive!" she said. "But he's very weak."

"Como on buddy," said Taglo, helping Oreana to lift Link while Zelda grabbed the Master Sword, "you can do this."

* * *

><p>Link slowly opened his eyes as soon as the potion went down his throat. He immediately recognized the taste of Madame Salema's red potion and realized that he was lying in a soft mattress. He sat up and saw Laila fluttering next to him, while Zelda, Oreana, Taglo, Viacka and Tara looked at him from the doorway; Madame Salema was standing next to him with an empty vial in her hand.<p>

"You gave your friends quite a scare, dear boy," she said with a sweet smile.

"How long was I out? What happened? How did I get here?" asked Link, holding his head.

"Well," began Taglo, "you pulled out the Master Sword and then turned into a stone statue for about a minute or less; then you turned back to normal and passed out."

"We found our imp friend outside of the Temple of Time," continued Zelda, "so he led us back through the woods and then Joy met us in the Forest Temple."

"We brought you here less than an hour ago," said Oreana, "you we could say that it was well over three hours that you were unconscious."

"You ok now, Link?" asked Tara.

"Yes..." he replied. "Where's the Master Sword?"

"Right here," said Zelda, holding out the scabbard with the sheathed blade.

Link got off the bed and approached her, pulled out the sword from the sheath and everyone gasped when the blade emitted a soft silver glow. Link then heard some heavy footsteps and someone speaking in a loud voice behind the group at the door.

"Excuse meh, lemme see tha boy," it said, Link smiled when he recognized the voice of the owner of the bazaar of Lake Town. "How are yeh feelin', heh?" he asked when he finally managed to get into the room.

"Fine, thank you," replied Link with a smile. "Glad to see you safe!"

"He-he! No monster scum can beat meh, yeh can be sure!" replied the man. "Yer friends told me of the adventure yeh and the princess lady 'ere are goin' into. Me advise is that she wears this." He showed them a beautiful adorned chest plate, with a feminine design, made of gold, a light violet corset, a neatly folded pink cloth that seemed to be some sort of skirt and a pair of golden armor boots; he was also holding a slim dark red scabbard whit a silver sword handle sticking out of the end.

"Wow!" said Zelda. "It's... beautiful!"

"Take it, will ya?" said the man, offering it to Zelda. "Last thing I managed ter save from me store... lemme give it ter yeh as a present, yer highness." Zelda took it and smiled kindly.

"When all of this is over, I promise I'll pay you the price of it," she said.

"Not ter worry, princess, it is a gift!" replied the man.

"We need to keep moving," said Link.

"No Link, you need to rest," said Taglo.

"I've rested long enough," replied Link while hanging the Master Sword from his waist and the mirror shield from his back. He adjusted his chest plate and put on his hat. "Princess, Taglo, Oreana, we should go now."

* * *

><p>They were now ready to depart; Taglo was finishing saddling the horses and Oreana had already climbed onto hers. Link made Tara promise that she and Viacka would go to Faron Village as soon as possible and then he turned to thank Madame Salema and her son again; they had given the four of them plenty of food for a couple days and Madame Salema's son had crafted arrows and bolts to replenish their ammo.<p>

"We will return as soon as we can," promised Link to Tara.

"Link, it's time," said Laila, fluttering next to him.

"Let's go, Link," said Zelda

The princess was already wearing her elegant armor, and had changed her long dirty dress for the elegant pink skirt, which had the design of the Royal Family of Hyrlue in front, with an opening on each side for better movement and broad golden plates on each side to protect her tights; a pair of knee-high gold boots with silver details covered her feet and shins, a delicate golden tiara with a pink gem was on her head and matching golden arm plates covered her forearms. All of this was part of the outfit that Madame Salema's son had given her, and she made a point again to pay for it as soon as she could _**(read footnote)**_.

Link climbed onto his horse and they all galloped into the forest path.

* * *

><p>Ganondorf was in the throne room, looking at the dead body of the King; his sword was dripping in blood and his face was contorted with rage.<p>

"Lord Ganondorf," said the Gerudo soldier standing behind him, "what should we do now?"

"This fool didn't tell me where I could find the princess," replied Ganondorf. "I want everybody searching in every region of Hyrule. Kill anyone who resists..."

The soldier bowed and left the throne room. Ganondorf sheathed his sword and looked through the window at the black cloud that was expanding from the castle and into Hyrule Field; Garoth had failed to complete the task, but nobody would prevent him from bringing the age of darkness.

* * *

><p>Link, Zelda, Taglo and Oreana exited the forest and looked at the landscape around them. Zelda and Link looked at each other and then turned to look at Taglo and Oreana, both with the same expression of despair in their faces.<p>

The sky was illuminated by the noon sun; however, a dark shade could be seen far away over the faint contour of Hyrule Castle's towers; the closer to the castle, the darker the sky became. Flashes could be seen cutting through the sky, bolts of lightning shinning through the clouds, and an evil wind could be felt blowing from within the shroud.

"I thought that we had gotten rid of the dark clouds," sad Link.

"Due to the awakening of Ganondorf," said Laila, "darkness is creeping back into the world, struggling to settle into the land."

"I guess we'll have to get rid of Ganondorf fast, then," replied Link. He then turned to Taglo and Oreana again. "Taglo, when the Princess and I cross into the Dark Realm, I want you both to look for survivors and make sure that they are safe. Let them know what's going on and, if the Princess or me don't make it, tell them to get out of Hyrule."

"Link," said Oreana, "you'll both make it."

"Just in case," said Link. "And Taglo, try to get in touch with as many Sheikah as possible."

"Link, I don't even know how to find them," replied Taglo.

"Try asking Mazara," replied Link. "She's the eldest of the Sheikah right now, so she might know something about the rest of them."

"Link, let's keep moving," said Laila. "We must get to Kakariko Village quickly."

They all nodded in understanding and urged their horses at full gallop toward the Bridge of Eldin.

* * *

><p>Tara and Viacka arrived into Faron Village a couple of hours later. Nico was keeping watch on top of one of the towers and screamed in delight before sounding the bell insanely. Mr. Durian, now fully recovered, and Mr. Regol came down running with their swords in their hands, but Nico started yelling at the top of his lungs while climbing down the ladder.<p>

"It's Tara! She's back!"

Mr. Durian dropped his sword and ran faster to help Nico open the gate of the stockade and Tara ran toward him; they embraced each other for about a minute, Tara's face full of tears, while Viacka smiled sheepishly a few feet behind her.

"Daddy... I'm sorry..." cried Tara.

"It's okay, hun... you're safe now... where's Link?" asked Mr. Durian.

"He's off to Kakariko Village... dad, there's a lot to explain, but first we need to get inside. Oh! And this is Viacka, one of the maids to Princess Zelda," she explained, motioning the girl to come forward.

"You met the princess?" asked Mr. Regol in shock.

"There is a lot to tell..." said Tara, as they all walked toward the house.

* * *

><p>Link swung the Master Sword as he got near a moblin, Who shrieked before being beheaded. Taglo, Oreana and Zelda were also fighting enemies of their own, as they crossed the large camp that had been settled at the entrance of the Bridge of Eldin.<p>

"I'm all out of bolts!" yelled Zelda, who was using Oreana's crossbow after having proven how skilled she was with it.

Link galloped toward her and covered her while Taglo shot an arrow at a ramming moblin.

"We don't have time for this," he said before jumping down from his horse. The Triforce of Courage began to glow and, unconsciously, and he raised the Master Sword into the sky. A gust of wind formed around him and a beam of light hit the sword from the sky, Link jumped and sunk the sword into the ground, beams of lightning erupting from it and hitting every enemy nearby.

"That would have been useful in the beginning, you know?" said Taglo with irony, before killing the last moblin with an arrow.

"You know I'm not aware of what I can do," replied Link, as surprised as any of his companions. "They just come to me."

"I told you, Link," said Laila. "The Triforce of Courage is teaching you new skills along the way."

"Yes..." said Link with doubt. "I don't think it's the Triforce alone, though."

"What do you mean?" asked Zelda.

"I'll explain later," he replied. "Now we have to move."

They all agreed and Link climbed back onto his horse; they galloped through the Bridge of Eldin toward the entrance to Kakariko Village. When they arrived, they climbed down from their horses and were greeted by Impa, who was standing next to the shrine of Eldin with her arms crossed; upon seeing the Princess, she adopted a more formal posture and knelt in front of her.

"It's an honor to be in your presence, your highness," she said in a solemn way.

"Please, rise," said Zelda blushing; she had never been a fan of protocols. "I'm here right now not as Princess of Hyrule, but as a Hylian who wishes for light to prevail in this time of darkness."

"Wise words," said Impa. She then turned to look at Link and nodded. "Link, it is time..."

Link nodded while they were led by Impa toward the locked gate that blocked the entrance to the graveyard.

* * *

><p><strong>Footnote: Zelda's Armor is exactly the same that she wears in the spin-off game Hyrule Warriors.<strong>


	44. A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long between updates (at least for my standard u_u). I'm saturated with work and I've got no internet on my phone or home. Also, I finally got 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' for Android *-*, so I'm kindda between a rock and a hard place with writing and playing xD. Anyways, here's the next chapter of the story, named after a great movie I just saw a few weeks ago. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Kakariko Graveyard was a maze of tombs, mausoleums and niches where generations of Sheikah, Royal Guards and people of Hyrule now lay. Impa lit a torch and held it up high, for the graveyard was covered by some sort of white fog which barely allowed visibility more than a five feet radius, and led the other four further inside.<p>

"Be careful," she said, "for this is no longer a resting place for the dead, but a realm of living dead and walking demons."

"In other words," said Taglo, "re-dead and stalfos."

"We better be careful then," said Link while he drew out the Master Sword; Zelda copied him while Taglo readied his own and Oreana lifted her crossbow.

"Link," said Laila, "do you hear that?"

They all muttered in assent, as they heard the creepy moaning sounds that came from all around them. The rustling of dragging feet could be heard from every direction, and Impa raised the torch while pointing forward; they all looked in that direction and noticed some movement coming toward them.

"Re-dead..." murmured Taglo.

"Worse," said Impa, "gibdos."

"Gibdos?" asked Zelda.

"Un dead creatures from old," explained Impa. "They are shrouded in white silk bandages that were used by then to wrap the bodies of the fiercest criminals. This can only mean that the Traitors' Tomb has been opened."

There was a loud scream behind them and they all turned around just in time to see Oreana frozen in place, a look of horror in her face, staring at a gibdo that was about to leap onto her. Link swung the Master Sword and sliced the creature in two halves vertically, dried-up guts spilling all over the floor; Oreana regained movement again and began sobbing, so Link wrapped an arm around her shoulder to support her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I was scared," she cried.

"Hey," calmed her Link, "we all are."

"Hey, Link!" yelled Taglo, as an army of re-dead and gibdos came within range surrounding them.

They formed up in a circle and raised their weapons as the army of corpses started to close in around them. Impa set one of the gibdos on fire while Link stabbed another; Taglo and Oreana kept fighting along, but Zelda was frozen in place, sword in hand, staring in horror at the reanimated corpses that threatened to suck the life out of them.

"Princess, you okay?" asked Taglo, another gibdo falling in front of him.

Link saw Zelda frozen in place and, without second thought, he stood in front of her and forced her to stay in the middle of the group. They were still trying to get rid of the last monsters when there was a strong gust of wind and the fog around them started to get darker.

"Dark fog!" yelled Laila. "Let's get away from it!"

Link saw that the dark fog was all around them, transforming the graveyard into a realm of shadows.

"Link," yelled Oreana while pulling out her lyre, "the melody!"

He then remembered the melody that Oreana had taught him, pulled out the Ocarina of Time and started playing the Prelude of Light along with Oreana. Everyone turned to look at them as they started to glow with a soft golden light; there was a flash and the dark fog disappeared. The graveyard came into view again and they were finally able to see it all, rows of tombs with re-dead crawling amongst them.

"This is why we had to close Kakariko Graveyard," said Taglo, while Link and Oreana stopped glowing.

"We have to get to the mausoleum that is in the middle of the graveyard," said Impa. "That's where the gate is."

They heard then a whooshing sound, like a gust of wind and a batting of heavy wings. Laila screamed and they all turned around just in time to see the black dragon with glowing red eyes that was soaring down from the mountain; it was surrounded by a cloud of dark mist.

"It's the dragon!" yelled Taglo. "Link, it's the one that attacked Kakariko Village before!"

"It's a specter!" yelled Impa. "We can't defeat him; he's not entirely in this world!"

"Okay, everybody... RUUUUN!" yelled Link.

The dragon opened his mouth and spat a fireball into the graveyard. The group ran away as fast as they could and encountered a group of re-dead along the way, while a blast of fire burst at the entrance of the graveyard. Link raised the Master Sword upward and began building up energy while everyone stood behind him; he swung the Sacred Blade forward and unleashed an arc of energy that sliced the creatures and they continued to move on.

Another blast informed them that the dragon was still behind them, so they continued running as fast as they could. Zelda fell on the ground when he tripped with the root of a withered tree that was sticking out from the ground and Link helped her to her feet. The others stopped to wait for them.

"Link, look out!" yelled Laila.

He turned around and saw a fireball being shot straight at him. Without even thinking, he raised his hands and cast Nayru's Love just in time to block the blast. When the fire dissipated, he fell on his knees panting.

"Let's go, Link!" urged Oreana, running toward them.

"Link," called Impa, "we're almost there!"

Link saw her pointing at a stone mausoleum about 300 feet away from their position. A loud crash sounded behind them and they turned to see the dragon swinging his tail into the ground, shattering several tombs in the process. Without second thought, they sprinted toward the mausoleum as fast as their aching legs let them.

* * *

><p>Ganondorf was standing by the window of the tallest tower of the now called Dark Palace of Hyrule. He was looking at the blaze that could be seen far away, in the direction of Kakariko Village. He had summoned one of the guardian specters in order to thwart the Hero's plans and now he smiled while he imagined the despair that the princess would feel when he, the Evil King Ganondorf, raised as ruler of Hyrule after finally grasping the Golden Power with his hands.<p>

He imagined the Hero, burning down to ashes by the fiery breath of Necroga, the Specter Dragon of Death Mountain, and started laughing with all his malice, his laughter echoing through the halls of the castle.

* * *

><p>Link and Taglo reached the mausoleum first and tried to pry open the door; however, it seemed to be locked by a big stone plate with the symbol of the Shadow Sage.<p>

"Impa!" yelled Link. The Sheikah arrived along with the rest of the group; a loud roar reminded them that the dragon was still in pursuit.

"I need you to buy me some time," she told Link and Taglo. "I need to meditate so that I can use my power to open the door to the Shadow Temple."

"Let's cover her," said Taglo. "Link, Oreana, let's form a perimeter."

"What about me?" asked Zelda, annoyed for not being included in the battle plans.

"Stay back, Princess," said Taglo in a rather condescending tone. "You have to be safe."

"Guys!" yelled Oreana, trying to get their attention.

Zelda stepped back reluctantly while Link, Taglo and Oreana took their positions; Impa knelt and closed her eyes to meditate. There was a gust of wind when the dragon batted his wings above them; Taglo called their attention and they saw three heavily armored stalfos running down the rows of tombstones heading their way.

"Taglo, Oreana, handle them!" said Link. "I will make sure we don't get ambushed by anything else."

"Link, the dragon!" yelled Laila.

He turned around and ducked just in time to dodge the dragon's tail, which swung just a few inches above his head. He reached for his bow and shot an arrow at him, but it went through without damage.

"The dragon is currently between the realms," explained Laila. "You can only defeat him with the power of light."

Taglo managed to defeat two of the stalfos and now hurried to aid Oreana; Link was keeping an eye out for the dragon and Impa was in full meditation, a purplish-pinkish aura emanating from her; none of them noticed how Zelda was staring at the incoming dragon with an empty look and had started to advance until she was nearly next to Link.

"Princess, step back!" he yelled while trying to pull her back.

The dragon opened its mouth and a fiery glow started to form in its throat, Zelda raised her arms forward and Link released her when he saw the Triforce of Wisdom glowing on the backnof her hand. A wave of golden light erupted from Zelda's arms and was shot forward against the dragon. Upon impact, the dragon started to roar and, slowly, a black portal opened behind it, sucking the creature inside before collapsing.

Zelda closed her eyes, went limp and started to fall; Link caught her before she hit the ground. Oreana managed to defeat the last stalfos and they heard a rumbling sound: the door of the mausoleum had started to open. Impa stood up and looked at them, noticing Zelda unconscious in Link's arms.

"Come into the Temple," she said, apparently not surprised by the scene.

Link doubted for a few seconds and looked at Taglo and Oreana; they nodded and he stood up and carried the Princess inside, followed closely by the three Sheikah.

* * *

><p>Ganondorf slammed his fists on the desk in his room, breaking it in half. He couldn't believe that the dragon had been sent back into the Dark Realm with such ease.<p>

"Only a carrier of the Triforce of Wisdom can do that," he murmured to himself, "so that means that the Princess is with the Hero." He stood up and chuckled with malice. "If she's planning to cross the link between worlds with him, maybe I can use this to my advantage..."

A few minutes later, a ghostly hooded black figure appeared from within the shadows, surrounded in a thin cloud black smoke.

"I'm surprised that you decided to summon me... Ganon..." it said.

"You and I can work together..." said Ganondorf. "The Princess and the Hero are heading into the Dark Realm... set up a nice warm reception."

"I will do everything in my power to make sure that they feel... cozy," replied the figure. "But I have my price..."

"Name it."

"The Hero... leave him to ME."

"Bring me the two carriers of the Golden Power and I will resurrect you and let you kill him."

"Then it's a deal..."

Ganondorf nodded and the figure dissolved as if made out of smoke.

* * *

><p>Inside his room in the Fortress of Darkness, in the Dark Realm, the man that Ganondorf had been talking to was pacing back and forth with an evil smirk across his face.<p>

_"Of course I will have my revenge,"_ he though._ "But it will be ME who claims the Triforce." _


	45. SHADOW TEMPLE – PART I

**A/N: WARNING! THIS STORY IS ABOUT TO GET SUPER CREEPY! IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT, DON'T READ AT NIGHT! It's the Shadow Temple after all!**

**About the reviews... JOY! YOU'RE ALIVE! *-* Don't worry girl, I forgive you! Just don't disappear like that!**

**Well, having said that, turn on the lights, go fetch an extra pair of pants just in case (nah, xD I'm exaggerating), and enjoy one of my favourite temples of all (with a twist).**

* * *

><p>Impa led the group down a flight of stairs, which went deep into the ground below the mausoleum; it was so dark that the bottom of it wasn't even visible from the top.<p>

"We must be careful," she said. "Even though the curse on this temple was lifted ages ago by the Hero of Time, the bloody history of Hyrule still stains its walls; remember that within lies the gate into the Dark Realm, so we must make sure to be careful at all time."

After a few minutes, they reached the bottom of the stairs and found themselves at the entrance of a circular chamber full of torches, a stone brick platform in the middle of it. The walls and ceiling of the cavern were cracked and crumbling, and the air was dense and dusty, for no one had set foot in that place for a long time. Impa held out her torch and illuminated the platform, revealing the emblem into it.

"Link, come see this," she said.

"What is it?" he replied. Taglo stepped forward and took Princess Zelda from Link's arms. "What does that symbol mean?" asked Link.

"It is the crest of the Sage of Fire," she explained. "It must mean something."

Link looked around the dark room, dimly lit by Impa's torches.

"Those burnt-out torches," he said, pointing at them.

"You must light them up all at once," explained Impa.

Link nodded and he stood in the middle of the platform, performed a swift move with his hands and slammed his fist into the ground with all his strength. The Din's Fire spell worked out immediately and the expansive wave ignited all of the torches in an instant. The room was suddenly filled with light and a large black stone door was revealed across the room. Link had barely gotten off the platform, when a loud earsplitting and skin crawling scream was heard. Oreana backed away in fear, as a cloud of smoke started to form in front of the black door, acquiring the shape of a large winged beast. Link quickly drew out the Master Sword and stood in front of it.

"This is the house of the cursed souls of the dead!" screamed the demon, its red eyes glowing like fire. "There is no room for the light!"

"In the name of the Goddesses, you shall let us through!" replied Link, holding up the sword.

"The Goddesses have no power in the Dark Realm," muttered the beast.

"We are NOT in the Dark Realm," murmured Link as a response.

He lunged forward and swung his sword vertically, the blade going through the demon as if it were cutting smoke. He thought that he had failed, but then a thin line of silvery light appeared across the beast and, with a scream of rage, it exploded in a wave of energy that sent Link flying back into the platform. When the creature vanished the black stone door slid downward, revealing the dark way in front of them.

"Does every single room in this place have to be in darkness?" asked Taglo.

Zelda stirred a bit and Taglo, crouched to lay her atop the platform in the middle of the room; he sat down and leaned her head on his lap while Link, Impa and Oreana ran back toward them. Zelda slowly opened her eyes, a disoriented look on her face, and blinked a few times to accustom her sight to the dim light of the torches.

"Where… where are we?" she asked. "What happened?"

"You tell us," said Taglo. "You shot that burst of light at the dragon and then you collapsed."

"I did what?" she asked, slowly trying to sit up.

"At the doorstep of darkness, your powers are starting to awaken," explained Impa. "You are, after all, the Seventh Sage, the Emissary of Light."

Zelda sat upright and held her head with her hands; she could feel the room spinning around her and that only made her dizzier and wearier. She shut her eyes for a few seconds and opened them again, feeling now slightly better; after repeating the process a few times, the motion sickness was finally gone.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We entered the Shadow Temple," said Link. He then turned to Impa and asked: "how long until we reach the portal?"

"We had to reshape the temple in order to confuse the forces of Darkness and prevent Evil to find it, so I'm not really sure," she replied. "However, there must be a room were a map is being kept so, if you get it, you will be able to find your way."

"Aren't you coming with us?" asked Link.

"Only the chosen by the Goddesses can enter the realm of shadows without turning into evil beings themselves," replied Impa. "As a sage, I can open the way; however, I don't carry the mark of the chosen."

Oreana hugged Link tightly, taking him by surprise, and whispered in his ear, "take care, please."

Link hugged her back and kissed her forehead while he replied, "I will."

Taglo and Link shook hands while Impa made a reverence to Zelda.

"Link, I won't be able to go with you," replied Laila.

"What? Why?" asked Link, surprised by this sudden revelation.

"Remember that I can't enter the Dark Realm, and I wasn't chosen either."

"But, Laila," objected Link.

"She can come with me," said Oreana. "I will feel lonely when I embark on the road to find survivors. It will be nice to have some company."

Zelda put a hand on Link's shoulder and he looked at her in resignation. They bid their friends farewell and turned around toward the dark passage that led further inside the temple. The Triforce parts on their hands began to glow as Impa gave them the torch and they crossed the threshold of the tunnel and they drew out their swords as they ventured into the darkness.

* * *

><p>"What now?" asked Link.<p>

"There must be a way to get past this gorge," said Zelda.

They had been walking for several minutes, the way being illuminated only by the torch in Link's hand, when they had nearly fallen into a deep gorge, about 5 feet wide, that impeded their advance.

"Maybe I can pull us across with the Rope of Faron," said Link, looking for a grappling point across the gorge.

"Link, look at that," she pointed at an iron post not far ahead. "Maybe you can use that."

He pulled out the gadget, aimed at the post and pulled the trigger; the hook shot forward and they screamed in triumph when the rope wrapped itself around it. Zelda held Link and he pulled the release, the rope pulling them forward as it reeled back. They landed on the other side and Link saw a small stone pedestal with a metal-framed groove in the middle of it; behind the pedestal, there was a stone wall with an ugly smirking face engraved onto it.

"This looks like the Pedestal of Time," said Link, examining the block. "There is something inscribed in it." He bent forward and shed some light onto it to read: "Ye who holds the keys to dispel darkness, show proof of thy worth." Without hesitance, he sunk the Master Sword into the pedestal and waited, but nothing happened.

"The inscription spoke of 'keys', in plural," said Zelda.

Link nodded and he took out the ocarina; after playing the Prelude of Light, the Master Sword began to glow and the eyes of the smirking face on the wall turned red as coals; slowly, the wall began to crack and crumble into rubble and dust, a doorway opening for them. The Master Sword stopped glowing and Link pulled it back.

"I was hoping that this was the portal, but I think I got that wrong," said Zelda.

"Let's move on," replied Link.

The next room was not too big, a statue of a sharp-beaked bird in the middle of it, surrounded by torches made out of skulls lit with small burning fires. The walls seemed to be made of sandstone and had nasty dark stains; Link didn't even wanted to guess what they were. Zelda shivered as they kept going into the room and saw a weak looking stone bridge that crossed another gorge into a locked iron gate.

"I'm not crossing that," said Zelda.

"I agree," replied Link. "We must find a way to open that gate and maybe pull across the abyss with the Rope of Faron again."

"But how?" asked Zelda. "I don't see any doors or switches around."

"There must be a way… let's split up and find one."

They drew out their swords again and went each toward one side of the room. Link examined the walls and his skin crawled when he felt a cold breeze blowing from within; he could have sworn he heard whispers coming from the other side of the wall:

_"Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred..."_

Link screamed in fear and fell back on his butt, as a dark-skeletal-human-shaped shadow burst out of the wall screaming in agony. Zelda ran back toward him as he saw, pale-faced, the specter soaring into the gorge and disappearing into the darkness below. Zelda hugged him tightly and sobbed, as Link shivered like a little kid.

"The faster… we get the hell out… of this place… the better," he said, trembling and panting, holding Zelda's hands in his.

"Come on Link," she said. "We must keep moving." They stood up and continued examining the room.

They noticed that there were some sections of the wall that had the same creepy-faced design as the wall that they had destroyed before, so they tried to examine them one by one.

"This is useless," said Link when they were examining one in a corner of the room. "I don't think we'll ever get throu-AAAAAAGH!" He had leaned on the wall and fell through it as if it were made of smoke.

"Link!" Zelda gathered herself and jumped toward the wall, going through it and falling on top of an already pained Link.

"Uugh!" he yelled.

"Sorry!" said Zelda, hurriedly standing up.

"What the hell happened?"

"I think we found a fake wall." Zelda then froze, looking behind Link, her face now pale and her eyes wide in fear.

"Zelda?" asked Link, closing his eyes, chills going through his spine.

"Don't… turn…" she began, but Link turned before she could finish.

"Oh… fuck…" he said.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: People, buckle up, this temple is going to be about three chapters long.**


	46. SHADOW TEMPLE – PART II

**A/N: Well, not much to say... just enjoy the second part of the Shadow Temple :)...**

* * *

><p>"Oh… fuck…" said Link, his insides cringing in sight of the macabre room in front of him.<p>

The room was filled with a stench of rotten flesh; there were decaying bodies hanging from the walls, impaled on long wooden stakes that erupted from the ground, and locked inside rusted iron cages that hung from the ceiling. The creepy part was that every single corpse was writhing and moaning, as if they could still feel the pain of their tortures and were trying to get away. Link jumped when Zelda gripped his hand and tried tugging him away.

"Link, I want to get out, I can't take it anymore," she cried.

"Zelda, we must keep moving," replied Link, holding her hands and looking at her eyes.

"I WANT TO GET OUT!" yelled Zelda over and over, tugging her hands hysterically. Link pulled her close and held her against his chest while she cried hard, terrified and weary, thinking of the dark path that Destiny had laid in front of her.

"Shhhhh," shushed Link, trying to comfort her. "I'm here with you Zelda; I won't let any harm to come to you."

"You promise?" she asked, still sobbing against his chest.

"I promise…" he replied.

Zelda pulled away and wiped the tears from her face, pulled out her sword and, to Link's surprise, beheaded one of the wriggling carcasses.

"Let's put these souls out of their misery," she said, while she beheaded another.

Link nodded and copied her, slicing back and forth until every single corpse was still. They panted and sheathed back their blades, looking around for an exit. Now that the room was clear, they were able to examine it better: the ceiling was low; the walls were decorated with tiles, some of which had the same creepy smiling face engraved into it, and others with skull designs. They were examining them when Zelda noticed that one specific skull tile had glowing eyes, contrary to the rest; she pushed it and the wall started to sink into the ground, revealing a passage leading to a wooden door with black stains around the handle. Trying not to think about the origin of the stains, Link pulled it open and they went through.

The room they had gotten into was very small; the floor was covered with dirt and a small stone coffin was set right in the middle of the room. Link approached it and saw an inscription engraved into it:

_"Only light shall reveal the passage through the dark…"_

"It's kinda obvious, isn't it?" asked Link.

"I don't think that it is literal, Link," said Zelda. "I think that this is the tomb of the legendary map maker of the Royal Family."

"Who?" asked Link.

"Legend goes that a long time ago, the Royal Family asked Tingle, the map maker, to paint a map of a secret road that led into another world. They told him that it was very important to keep it recorded, for there may be a day when the link between worlds would have to be opened again."

"So what happened to him?" asked Link.

"Nobody really knows," said Zelda. "Some say that he was trapped in another dimension, others say that the King executed him to preserve the secret of the hidden road. What all of the stories agree, is that Tingle disappeared and only his map was recovered."

"So, what does this have to do with the light and dark riddle?" asked Link, pointing at the inscription.

"Well, that's the funny part," said Zelda with a giggle, "Tingle always affirmed that he was a descendant of the fairies, so he also liked studying magic a lot. He created a spell that he could cast whenever he wanted to give a special touch to his maps, and it made the parchment glow with a faint light, so it could be read in the dark."

"I don't guess you happen to know the spell, do you?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, everybody knows it in Hyrule Castle," she replied with a smile. "It's common for little kids to say it when they play, for it is a very funny mixture of words."

Zelda approached the coffin and placed her hands on top of the inscription; she closed her eyes and said with a firm voice: "Kooloo-Limpah!"

At first, Link thought that Zelda was only teasing him, but then a soft light began to glow from under her hands and the coffin slowly opened. When the lid fell to the ground, Link peeked inside and his eyes widened in shock.

"What is it?" asked Zelda, and she leaned in too.

Inside, there was a glowing piece of parchment, neatly rolled and tied with a red ribbon, a pin with the emblem of the Royal Family of Hyrule attached to it. Link leaned forward and grabbed the parchment, untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment. It was a finely drawn map, thin lines intercrossing across it showing them the passages and rooms ahead; a small drawing of a fairy was decorating the bottom right corner of the piece of parchment.

"I think we found the map of the temple," he said.

"Look," said Zelda, pointing at the torture room on the map, "there seems to be another passage out of that room. We should try to find it and get to this room here."

"What about this mark?" pointed Link. The room that Zelda had found on the map had the emblem of the Sheikah drawn. "What does it mean that this mark is here?"

"I guess we will find out when we get there," replied Zelda.

They went back into the torture chamber, the foul stench of rotting flesh and blood filling their nostrils again, and walked across the remains of the corpses they had disposed. They reached the other end of the room and examined the wall. Link then discovered a circular plate, black as the rest of the wall, with a small groove across it.

"What do you think?" asked Zelda.

"Same as before," replied Link. He pulled out the Master Sword and inserted it into the groove, played the Prelude of Light and the blade began to glow; however, nothing else happened.

"Try twisting it as a key," suggested Zelda.

Link grabbed the handle of the sword and turned it clockwise once. When he completed a full turn, the wall crumbled into the ground and revealed a passage ahead of them leading to an iron door. Link opened the door and they both crossed it but, as soon as they shut it behind them, thick heavy iron bars fell down securing the door.

"Link!" yelled Zelda, drawing out her sword.

Link copied her and they gasped when the ground began to shake and a mound of dirt started to form in the middle of the room. Slowly, six long, thick, sharp-nailed, dark red fingers started to erupt from the ground, followed by a broad hand and a thick muscled arm. Link was taken by surprise when the hand flung forward and wrapped its fingers around his body, tightening its grip and flinging him around in the air.

"LINK!" yelled Zelda.

"Zelda!" yelled back Link. "Slice it!"

Zelda swung her blade sideways, but the hand flung Link forward and tossed him against her, sending them both tumbling backwards and slamming against the door. Link now was seeing sparks in front of him, pain shooting though his spine from the spot where his head had hit the bars.

"Link, get up!" screamed Zelda, hysterically swinging her sword in front of her in a random pattern.

Link got up and grabbed the Master Sword, standing next to Zelda and trying to find a weak spot in his enemy. The hand sank back into the ground and disappeared from view.

"Were did it go?" asked Zelda trembling.

"I don't know," replied Link, "be quiet."

The ground started to shake again and Link felt it sink beneath him. When he tried to jump away, the hand came out and grabbed hold of him with bone-crushing strength. Link screamed in pain and Zelda sobbed hard, as she rammed the arm with her sword, the tip of it protruding from the other side. The fingers released their grasp on their prey and Link rolled on the ground as he fell. Zelda dragged him away and he painfully stood up again, unsheathing the Master Sword one more time. The hand stretched its fingers, showing its full palm at them, and they both felt shivers down their spines when they saw a macabre image in front of them.

On the palm of the hand, a large mouth was starting to open, full of blood dripping fangs. One single yellow eye with a red iris and a vertical slit pupil opened its lids on top of it. Zelda cried in horror when the mouth opened wide, revealing a second row of fangs inside behind the first, and Link raised his shield just in time to prevent the sharp nails to sink into his armor, for the hand had lunged forward in order to attack.

"Can't you try working your magic again?" asked Link, swinging his sword but missing its target.

"It doesn't work like that!" she yelled. "I didn't even know I had that power until just today! I can't control it!"

"Then try!" yelled back Link.

With one swift move, the hand made a horizontal pass and hit Link on the legs; he lost his balance and fell on the ground. Taking the chance, the hand slammed its palm on top of Link, and he screamed in pain due to the tremendous force and weight applied upon his body, and for the fang that had just pierced his arm; he could feel something burning inside his veins.

"Link!" screamed Zelda in horror, and she cried while she held her sword forward. Without her realizing what was going on, the Triforce of Wisdom began to glow again, the sword in her hands now emitting a golden light and, as the hand raised again, she rammed it straight through the malicious eye that was now looking at her.

The evil grin on the hand's face turn into a grimace of pain, as it began screaming in agony while a black gooey substance began oozing out of the pierced eye. After twirling a few times, the hand fell sideways and stayed still.

"Link!" cried Zelda again, dropping her sword and running toward him. She was so worried that she didn't even notice the wall opposite the door crumbling down and revealing a large chest behind it.

"Zel… Zelda…" sighed Link, his eyes white, his skin turning a sick looking shade of green.

Zelda saw the bloody wound in his arm, veins swollen around the whole where the fang had pierced his flesh. She began to grow desperate, her breathing getting heavy and her eyes filling up with tears. Link was now making gurgling sounds and his skin was getting pale, beads of sweat covering his face and his skin burning with fever.

"NO!" she cried, holding him tightly and rocking as if she were cradling a baby. "DON'T GIVE UP!"

Link's eyes began to close, while Zelda tried all along not to let go of the last remains of hope she still had in her heart.


	47. SHADOW TEMPLE – PART III

**A/N: I think that the passage of this temple is taking longer than I expected. This is the third part of the Sadow Temple arc! Enjoy! R&R**

* * *

><p><em>"Oh, Princess, you have to be more careful," said Madame Tenma, the Castle's senior nurse, with a sweet tone of voice.<em>

_"I'm sorry…" cried six year-old Zelda, sobbing hard while holding her arm up, a bleeding cut across it._

_"Oh, don't be," replied Tenma with a smile. "You didn't do any wrong. Next time, just leave the cat alone."_

_"But I like cats," cried the little girl. "They're fun and cute and cuddly and fluffy and…"_

_"And they scratch," replied Tenma, "at least when they want to be left alone."_

_Zelda smiled sheepishly at the old nurse, seeing how she dabbed at the cut with a clean cloth, applying some medicine into it. Zelda sniffed and wiped her tears while the nurse continued taking care of the wounds. All along, she kept humming a soft mysterious melody, which made Zelda feel soothed and relaxed while the nurse finished her job._

_"We're done!" said the old nurse. "Does it still hurt?"_

_Zelda shook her head in denial with a faint shy smile. Madame Tenma held her up from the bed and lowered her into the floor. Zelda stood there, thinking for a few seconds, before she asked:_

_"Madame Tenma, what was that song you where singing?"_

_"Oh, it's a very old song that my mother taught me and my grandmother taught her," she replied. "It's called the Song of Healing."_

_"Song of Healing?" replied the little Princess with curiosity._

_"Yes, it is said to have magical properties!"_

_"Magical?" Zelda giggled. "Madame Tenma, I may be six, but I know that magic doesn't exist."_

_"That's what you think?" asked the nurse, still smiling while she crouched in front of the girl. "It is one thing that you haven't experienced it, and a completely different one that it doesn't exist. Magic is revolving all around us at all times, and some are more sensitive to it than others; however, we can all learn how to control it and use it either for good or evil."_

_"And how can a simple song have magical properties?"_

_"It is said that the Song of Healing, when played or sung by a very strong magical person, can cure almost any injury that has been inflicted to someone's spirit; if used in time, it can even break a curse set upon someone's soul and body!"_

_"Fairytales, Madame Tenma," said Zelda._

_The nurse smiled and hugged the little Princess with love; she had never had children of her own, so she had devoted every minute of her life to caring for Zelda ever since she had been born, and loved her as a child of her own._

_"Fairytales can always have some truth in them," she whispered in Zelda's ear. "Don't close your mind to the gifts that the Goddesses left for us."_

_Having said that, she stood up and led Zelda by the hand to the door of the infirmary. Zelda waved her goodbye and went in search for Mr. Purry again; that old cat owed her an apology._

* * *

><p>Zelda woke up startled, looked around her and saw that she had been lying on the ground in a dark room she didn't recognize. She sat up, remembering what had happened, and saw Link lying next to her, eyes blank staring at the ceiling, his skin slightly gray and soaked in sweat. He was still breathing, but barely, and when she touched his forehead she realized that he was burning with fever. She had fallen asleep while praying for a solution and the Goddesses had answered her in her dreams once more.<p>

She searched inside Link's satchel for the Ocarina of Time, and held it in her hands; it emitted a soft blue glow and the golden Triforce engraved into its silver band around the mouthpiece seemed to glow when she touched it. She remembered the melody that Madame Tenma had hummed several times when she had visited the infirmary after her many accidents as a little girl and tried to play each tone in the instrument; when she finally got them right, she knelt in front of Link and prayed that her own magic was enough to work the power of the Song of Healing, and she began playing.

She played the tune several times over, trying to focus all her will into its melody. Just when she was about to give up, the ocarina began glowing pink, and small heart shaped petals of light began falling from it and floating toward Link. She was so surprised that she nearly stopped playing, but she kept on even with more faith than before. Slowly, the petals drifted into Link's body and his skin began returning to its normal tone; he closed his eyes and Zelda saw the wound in his arm starting to fade away. When Link stirred and groaned wearily, Zelda gasped and nearly dropped the ocarina. She quickly put it back inside the satchel and held Link, helping him to sit up again.

"What… happened?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter," she replied. "You're ok?"

"Yeah, I guess," said Link, looking around. "I feel weak, that's all, but otherwise I'm fine." He then saw the dead monster hand lying in the middle of the room and looked at Zelda in surprise. "You defeated it?"

"Well, yeah…" said Zelda.

"Zelda… what happened to me?" asked Link.

She explained everything to him, how he had been poisoned by the hand and how she had defeated it without really knowing how; she told him about her efforts to keep him alive and about the song that she had played to heal him and how she had learned it. Link listened to every word and smiled at her.

"How convenient," he said. "That melody may come in handy later."

"We must move on," replied Zelda.

They stood up and Link saw the crumbled wall at the end of the room.

"Did you see this?" he asked the Princess.

"No," she replied, "I was too busy trying to keep you alive."

"Well," he said as he approached the treasure chest, "let's take a look."

Link walked up to the chest and opened the lid to look inside. The interior was covered in velvet and there was a single wooden box with the emblem of the Sheikah painted in red on the lid. He pulled it out and opened it to reveal a sort of lens inside, made out of a polished metal and painted in violet, three red spikes on top and a golden spike at the end of the handle; its shape resembled the emblem of the Sheikah, and it even had a pupil painted in the middle of the glass. At first, Link thought it was some kind of magnifying glass, but then he saw the look on Zelda's face.

"Link… I think I know what this is," she said. "Can I hold it?"

"Sure," he replied, as he passed the lens to her.

"If I'm not mistaken," she said, as she held the lens in front of her, "this is called the Lens of Truth. It is a long lost Sheikah treasure which was supposed to have been created by an ancient elder of Kakariko Village. According to the legend…"

"You read a lot of history, don't you?" interrupted Link, raising an eyebrow.

"It was mandatory that I did," replied Zelda. "As I was saying, according to the legend, this artifact allowed the wielder to see past any kind of illusion, letting one see what really lied ahead."

"How do you think it will help us?"

"Hmmmm…" said Zelda, thinking hard for a few seconds, she snapped her fingers and motioned Link to follow her. "Let's go back to the main room. I didn't see any other passages nearby on the map, so I'm guessing that the clue is hidden somewhere in the main room."

Link nodded and they both returned to the room where the bird statue was, surrounded by the skull torches. Zelda raised the Lens of Truth and gazed into it.

"Do you see anything?" asked Link.

"Not yet… but there must be something that will help us… maybe a clue…"

"My I try?"

"Sure." Zelda handed the lens to Link and he gazed into it. His blood nearly froze when he saw the tall black cloaked figure right in front of him, a putrid hand stretched toward him and its eyes like hollow empty spaces. He screamed and nearly dropped the lens.

"What?!" yelled Zelda. "What did you see?"

"We're not alone," he replied, shivering.

Without any further warning, Zelda fell forward as if something had pulled her by the feet; she screamed in fear when she started to slide across the ground directly into the gorge.

"Link!" she screamed.

"Zelda!" He reached for her hand and held her wrist tightly, using the Rope of Faron to secure himself to the post of one of the torches. "Don't let go!"

"Something's holding my ankle!" she yelled.

Link immediately looked through the Lens of Truth and saw a horrible rotting corpse-like figure, its mouth wide open in a grimace of pain, wrapping its blistered fingers around Zelda's left ankle. It seemed like it was being dragged into the chasm, pulling Zelda along with it.

"Zelda, use your sword and swing it right below your left ankle, now!" he commanded.

Zelda swiftly drew out her sword and sliced through the air at her leg. She felt it cut something and Link saw the creature through the lens being pulled down into the abyss. Relieved, they let go and Zelda stood up, wiping the dirt from her skirt.

"We need to get out of this place," panted Link.

"Let's just hurry up," replied Zelda.

Link raised the Lens of Truth again and something caught his eye: the bird statue had some sort of inscription engraved into it. He approached and read it out loud:

_"Make my beak face the skull of truth. The alternative is descent into the deep darkness."_

"Any ideas?" asked Zelda.

"I'm guessing we must make the statue face one of the skulls if we want to continue," replied Link. "But what does it mean by 'skull of truth'?"

"Maybe only one of the skulls is the key for opening the way forward," guessed Zelda.

"Ok, let's try one by one," suggested Link. "Step back."

Zelda gave a few steps back and Link grabbed one of the wings of the statue and started to push. The statue started turning slowly, and Link stopped when facing the first skull to his left. He waited for a few seconds and then he heard a clanking sound and the ground opened beneath him.

"Link!" yelled Zelda. She ran forward and saw Link hanging from the edge of the abyss below. Apparently, the floor around the statue was a trapdoor which seemed to be designed to open if one failed to guess the proper skull. Zelda pulled Link back up and the trapdoor closed again.

"That was close," said Link.

"We can't try them one by one," said Zelda. "There must be some other way."

"I have an idea," said Link, and he reached for the Lens of Truth again. Looking through it, he aimed at the skulls and smiled.

"What is it?" asked Zelda, trying to take the lens from his hand.

"The skulls…" said Link, grinning at her, "some of them turn invisible when you look through the lens."

He handed the lens to Zelda who also gazed through it. Just as Link had mentioned, most of the skulls turned invisible when you looked at them through the lens; all except for the one that was right between the stone statue and the gate across the gorge.

"I think that's the one," she said while pointing at it.

"Let's figure out," replied Link, and he pushed the statue again so that it turned and faced the proper skull.

When Link released the statue, there was a series of loud clanking sounds coming from the gate across the chasm in front of it, and then the doors swung fully open by themselves. The passage behind it seemed to be dark and steep, going further down into the temple.

"Great, now how do we cross?" asked Zelda.

"I guess we have to cross the crumbling bridge," said Link.

"No way!" replied Zelda. "I'm not setting a foot in that deathtrap."

"Well," said Link with a smile. "That can be solved."

"How? Wait, Link… DON'T YOU… NO!" screamed Zelda, while Link laughed and lifted her over his shoulder, sprinted forward and ran across the bridge, while Zelda screamed and hit him with her fists all the way. When they crossed the gate, Link set her down again and smiled.

"See?" he said. "You didn't set a foot on…"

"DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" yelled Zelda, shoving him against the wall.

"Sorry!" said Link, laughing at her angered expression. "We needed to cross; besides, the bridge didn't collapse, did it?"

"Nevermind," said Zelda, straightening her clothes and her hair. "Let's move on, shall we?"

Link nodded, still smiling at her, and he pulled out the map to review their position.

"We're getting close to the gate," said Link, pointing at the map. "Only two more rooms and we will get to a large underground cavern; from there we must cross these platforms and we will get to the gate."

"Let's move on, then," replied Zelda, still angry at Link.

Thinking that it would do him no good to apologize again, Link nodded and stored the map, while he and Zelda ventured further into the depths of the temple.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I promise that the next chapter will be the end of this temple :) **


	48. SHADOW TEMPLE – PART IV

**A/N: Fast updating again! I said that this temple would be three chapters long, but I really felt like it needed more. Short chapters that keep up the suspense is my motto :)... I hope you like it!**

**I'd like to take the chance to congratulate my faithful reader, _Ayako Zetra_, in such an important day in her life: **

**HAPPY FLAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZET!**

***Tingle appears throwing confetti around while Zelda and Link hold up the cake***

**Make a wish! :)**

* * *

><p>The passage down into the lower level of the Shadow Temple was a twisted corridor full of deathtraps and foul creatures. After having killed at least three skulltulas, and nearly been sliced in half by a hidden guillotine, they reached an underground cavern lit by hanging torches all around it; the remains of a large, burnt out, chandelier hung from the ceiling, full of cobwebs. They both looked around the room and saw that there were several platforms and cliffs all around them full of spinning blades, falling guillotines and other torture instruments, a dark abyss lying around and ready to accept anyone who failed the deadly parkour.<p>

"We really need to do this?" asked Zelda.

"There is no other way," replied Link. "We must sort out these traps. See that door over there?" he asked as he pointed at a gate on the other end. "We must reach that door in order to get to the gate."

"Let's do it then," sighed Zelda.

They ran forward and jumped into the first platform. As soon as their feet touched it, a strong wind started to blow and dark moaning shadows emerged from the black void around, twirling around them and stretching their ghostly arms at them. Zelda shrieked and Link grabbed her hand, pulling her forward and forcing her to run. The jumped into the second platform and a razor-sharp guillotine fell behind him, clanking loudly against the shield hanging on his back. The dark shadows kept soaring back and forth all around them, sometimes going through them leaving a chilling sensation within Link and Zelda's bodies, and they found themselves in front of a high wall. Quickly, Link stood by it and tangled his fingers together, motioning Zelda to stand in his hands so he could push her up. When she had successfully climbed up the ledge, Link jumped and Zelda held his hand, pulling him upward.

There was a rumbling sound and they saw in horror how the platforms behind them started to crumble down while the dark shadows fell back into the abyss.

"Zelda, RUN!" yelled Link.

They sprinted forward and jumped into the next platform, which had a creepy looking, double headed statue holding two curve blades and spinning on its axis. They jumped when the blade reached them and ran toward the next platform, jumped to dodge the second blade and then jumped again toward the ledge. As soon as they reached the other platform, there was a loud scream and two armored stalfos fell onto it.

"Stalfos!" said Link.

"What do we do now?" asked Zelda.

"Fight!"

They both drew out their swords and started to fight back against the creatures. Zelda, having no experience in sword fighting other than stabbing the hand monster at the beginning of the temple and killing a few bokoblins, was having problems to repel the skilled attacks of the stalfos in front of her. As soon as Link disposed of his adversary, he aided Zelda in defeating hers. With one swift move, Link blocked the stalfos' sword with his mirror shield and kicked the skeleton in the chest, making it stumble and fall into the abyss.

"You ok?" he asked Zelda.

"Yes," she replied. "Link, you need to teach me how to fight like that."

"I will as soon as we cross the gate," he promised. "Let's go."

They jumped into another platform and then found a little problem in front of them.

"Link… this is too big a gap to simply jump across…" said Zelda. They were standing in front of a large empty space, as if the platform that was supposed to be there had crumbled down into the abyss. On the other side, there was a small ledge and an iron door. Link pulled out the map again.

"The platform is on the map," he pointed at it. "And look! It's the emblem of the Sheikah again, painted into it."

Link pulled out the Lens of Truth again, gazed through it and smiled; he could see perfectly the platform in front of them, right where it was supposed to be.

"It's hidden," explained Link, handing the lens to Zelda. "Are you ready to jump?"

"No, but there's no other choice," she replied.

They held hands and jumped across the gap, their hearts racing as they felt like they were jumping into the void. They landed on the invisible platform and Zelda instinctively looked down; seeing the emptiness below her feet, her knees failed and her legs trembled as she nearly passed out due to the vertigo. Link held her by the waist and supported her while she breathed fast, trying not to lose consciousness.

"Come on, Zelda," he encouraged her. "Only one more jump and we're done."

She nodded and made an effort to stand up; they ran forward and jumped into the ledge where the door was. After a cheer for their success, Link pushed open the door and they crossed it without even looking back.

* * *

><p>Impa opened her eyes, ending her meditation. She was with Taglo, Laila and Oreana in front of the Shrine of Eldin, trying to connect with Link and follow him and Zelda across the Shadow Temple. All along, the two younger Sheikah and the fairy had been eyeing her impatient for some news. When she looked at them, they became tense with anticipation.<p>

"They're almost there," she said. "Only one more trial to endure and the link will be open for them to cross."

"What trial is it?" asked Oreana.

"Gangea… the river of the haunted…" replied Impa, lowering her voice.

"Gangea?" asked Taglo.

"It's the cursed river of the damned souls," explained Laila. "It is said that the restless evil ones were cast into the waters of Gangea to be purged; however, after so many ages of washing away the filth of the haunted, the waters of the river now are a foul torrent of filth and madness."

Oreana fell on her knees, her whole body trembling.

"You can do this, Link," she said. "Please, Goddesses, take care of him…" she prayed.

* * *

><p>Link and Zelda were standing in what seemed to be a sort of wooden dock, a single boat tied to it; they approached it and Link held up the paddles in his hand. All around them, there was a white fog that didn't allow much visibility, but he could see that they were in a sort of underground lake; a foul stench of rot and death could be felt in the air. He pulled out the map and Zelda looked over his shoulder.<p>

"We're supposed to cross this river," he said. "The room of the gate is at the end of it."

They boarded the boat and Link released the moorings, pushing away from the dock with the aid of one of the paddles. Zelda sat by the stern while Link sat by the bow of the boat, rowing up the current in the direction that the map had shown them. Several minutes later, Zelda was leaning against the edge of the boat, puking for the second time; the putrid stench that came from the water was affecting her the most.

"Are we there yet?" she asked for the third time.

"I don't know," said Link, also for the third time.

Suddenly, the boat began to rock and they heard splashing sounds all around them. Link stopped rowing and stood up, withdrawing the Master Sword and looking around. Zelda tried to fan away the fog with her hands and then, without previous warning, they heard more moans and splashes nearby. Link leaned over and saw with horror that the water was full of corpses, all swollen and rotting, moaning and crying as they tried to swim one over the other, trying hard to reach the edge of the boat. Zelda panicked and screamed in horror, while Link severed the arm of one of the corpses just when it gripped the boat. Link swung his sword at another corpse, but he lost his balance and fell into the river.

"Link!" yelled Zelda. She stretched her arm forward, grabbing Link by the wrist, and one of the corpses grabbed her arm and tried to bite it, but the arm plate avoided her arm to be hurt, breaking the creature's jaw instead. Link grabbed Zelda's wrist and she pulled him back into the boat with great effort, for a few corpses had grabbed hold of his legs and were trying to pull him back into the water. He fell inside the boat and coughed.

"I… I need… to go back…" he coughed.

"What?!" yelled Zelda in shock. "Are you insane, why?!"

Link looked up at her with a mortified expression across his face. "Zelda… I…" he stuttered, "I dropped the Master Sword."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: O.O! Now how the heck is Link going to come out of this one?! I know that I promised to wrap up tge Shadow Temple in this chapter, but I couldn't help leaving a cliffhanger. **

**...**

**Finally passed the 100,000 words! :-D hurray!**


	49. THE LINK BETWEEN WORLDS

Zelda watched in shock as Link stood up and pulled out the Zora Armor from his satchel and got rid of his chest plate and green tunic; she turned around blushing, slightly embarrassed by Link's actions. Link was so scared and mortified by his losing of the Master Sword that he hadn't realized what he was doing until he finished putting on the blue garment.

"What are you planning to do, Link?" asked Zelda, turning around again and watching Link as he leaned over the edge of the boat. Down in the water, the corpses were still trying to reach them by crawling one over the other.

"Hand me your sword," said Link.

"What are you going to do?" repeated Zelda, placing a hand over the buckle of the belt that held her sword in place.

"Just give it to me, Zelda." Link's voice was anxious.

"Don't tell me you…"

"I'm going to recover the Master Sword."

Zelda was expressionless; her eyes fixed upon Link's and her hand gripping firmly her sword. Link groaned and reached for the hilt with his hand and unsheathed it.

"Link…" began Zelda.

"I'll be right back," said Link. "I promise." He jumped and dived into the water before Zelda could avoid it.

The water was freezing cold, he could barely see in the darkness and he knew that there were corpses floating and swimming all around him. He kicked forward and felt a hand gripping his ankle, turned around and slashed with Zelda's sword, slicing the foul being's wrist. He kicked again and began swimming downward as fast as he could, noticing about five more undead swimming toward him. He slashed several times with his sword and two of the corpses were sliced in half. He then felt how another corpse gripped his arm, and then another gripped his leg; soon, he was starting to get immobilized by the undead around him. He struggled to break free and tugged his extremities, trying to loosen up the grip of his oppressors.

He was struggling harder with each second, one of the corpses tried to bite his shoulder, but the chainmail under his vest protected him. He closed his eyes and concentrated all his will and strength and, just as he was expecting, the Triforce of Courage began to glow in his hand. A blast of light erupted from his body and the creatures around him released him and swam away in fear. He then saw it, the Master Sword, lying a few feet below him, its blade half sunk into the floor at the bottom of the river. He kicked as hard as he could and reached it, grabbed the hilt and pulled with all his strength, holding the Sacred Blade upward once more. Some of the corpses were starting to gather again around him, so he kicked hard and began to swim back toward the surface.

Meanwhile, back in the boat, Zelda punched another corpse that was trying to climb in and it fell back into the water. She had been facing this problem ever since Link had dived into the water, and she kept cursing under her breath with every new undead that she had to push back into the river. Her hand was starting to ache and she was feeling tired; another corpse raised his head over the edge of the boat and she kicked it hard, making it fall back with a moan. The boat suddenly started to rock and she heard a splashing sound behind her, turned around and, instinctively, landed another blow.

"Ow!" yelled Link, as he released the edge of the boat, dropping both swords in, and falling back into the water.

"Link!" she yelled in anguish, and reached over to pull him back in.

"What was that for?" asked Link once he was back safe on the boat.

"Sorry!" apologized Zelda. "I thought you were…"

"Yeah, I get it," he reassured her. "Let's get out of here."

They both grabbed the paddles and started rowing further into the river. The mist around them began to grow thin until it dissipated, right when they felt the keel of the boat hit something. They turned around and saw that they had reached a round artificial island, its floor made of polished marble and with a stone pedestal in the middle of it.

"I think this is it," said Link, and they stood up, getting out of the boat, and walking toward the pedestal.

"There is an inscription," said Zelda, and she read it out loud.

_"Back and forth, through Life and Death._

_Back and forth, from Light to Dark._

_When Darkness prevails, new Light shall shine._

_When Time is near, a new Age shall rise._

_When the Key of Light opens the gate,_

_only the Chosen shall be allowed to cross._

Link took a closer look at the stone pedestal, very similar to the Pedestal of Time, and saw that it had a golden edged groove in the middle of it.

"Grab hold of me," said Link.

Zelda gripped him hard by the waist and Link sunk the Master Sword into the groove. He felt as if his hand had been stuck to it, and a strong gust of wind revolved around him. Zelda screamed as a halo of golden light erupted from the floor around them and rose into the ceiling of the cavern, and then, Link, Zelda and the Master Sword were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

><p>"They made it," said Impa.<p>

_"We can't help them anymore," _said Zurlo's voice in her head.

_"They are out of our realm now," _added Joy.

"Impa?" asked Taglo, approaching the Sheikah.

"They just crossed the link between worlds," said Impa. "They're on their own now."

"We should get moving," said Oreana, standing up from the rock where she had been sitting. "Now that we know that they're safe inside the Dark Realm we should move on with our own missions."

"Safe?" asked Impa. "Who said that they were safe? They are in a bigger danger now that they have ever been. Many have lost their minds in the Dark Realm; remember that they are now in the domains of Evil." She doubted for a second and then added. "And Ganondorf isn't the only one after the Triforce, for others had sought to control its power before."

"What do you mean?" asked Oreana.

"She means the one that is older than Ganon," explained Laila, understanding who Impa was talking about. She had only heard of him as a legend from the beginning of ages, but now Impa's attitude was making her realize that they were all true. "She is talking about one that even Ganon would fear, if he hadn't been killed and his spirit imprisoned in the Dark Realm by the Goddess Hylia."

Impa looked at the fairy, nodding in agreement. Link would have to face a bigger trial now, and if he managed to endure it, only then he will be ready to face the King of Evil at last.

* * *

><p>A black bokoblin entered the room in the tallest tower of the Fortress of Darkness, and knelt in front of the dark man in front of him. All of his minions knew that he wasn't really alive, that his corporeal self was only granted to him by the power of the Dark Realm; however, the fear that he radiated from him was too much and his power, though diminished, was still too great and terrible to be taken lightly.<p>

"They have arrived," murmured the bokoblin.

"Good…" replied the man. "Send out a party into the Village of Outcasts and give them… a proper welcome."

The man began to laugh as the bokoblin bowed, turned around and walked toward the door. Before he reached it, his master spoke up again.

"One more thing," the bokoblin turned to face him. "They carry something… of great value. Bring them alive."

The bokoblin bowed again, while he murmured in a solemn voice.

"As you wish… my lord."


	50. A MIRRORED HYRULE

**A/N: We're finally inside the Dark Realm. I had to read a lot to develop this chapter. I hope you like it!**

* * *

><p>Link felt his hand release its grip on the Master Sword as the light around them dimmed down; Zelda let go of him and they looked around, assessing their surroundings. They were inside a small cavern lit by torches, a stone pedestal, where the Master Sword was still embedded, right in the middle. Link pulled out the Master Sword and immediately noticed something strange, for the blade of the sword was glowing with a pinkpurple light through all of its length. He then looked at Zelda and noticed her expression while looking at her, and just then he realized why: both of them had slightly different clothes, darker than the ones they had been wearing before the crossing, and their eyes were now blood-red.

"I guess this is what they were warning us before," said Link. "We have actually changed, but our consciences remain our own."

"I guess the Triforce is keeping us safe from fully turning," said Zelda, looking at the golden triangle in her hand.

"Let's get out of here," said Link. "We better start moving."

They headed toward the exit of the cavern and, when they were outside, they found themselves in a small garden, full of withered flowers and trees, with a dried-up fountain in the middle of it. They walked across it toward the gate that led outside and, when they crossed it, they were now in a grim-looking town, some buildings crumbling and, in general, very similar to Kakariko Village. The sky was covered in dark clouds and a perpetual shade covered the land.

"May I help you?" said a voice behind them. Link and Zelda turned and saw a man eyeing them suspiciously. He was wearing a ragged, dirty cloak and had a battered walking cane in his hand. A sort of mask covered his face, like a grim bunny-face, which only allowed his eyes to be seen.

"Yes," said Link. "Could you please tell me where are we?" The man looked at him for a few seconds, like if surprised, and then spoke up.

"This," said the man, "is the Village of Outcasts, home of the thieves and scum of the former Lorule."

"Lorule?" asked Zelda.

"You come from afar, don't you?" he asked while he stared at them. "This place was once named Lorule, the once beautiful kingdom of the Lorulean Royal Family." He shook his head and looked down. "It's been a long time since they were all killed, slaughtered by their own so-called 'guardian spirit', who managed to control some of the foulest creatures on this land and get hold of the throne."

"You mean Garoth?" asked Link. The man looked at him in shock and stepped back a few paces.

"Don't mention that name out loud boy!" He panted and spoke again. "No, I'm not speaking of the Emissary of Darkness. He left this land long ago; no, I'm speaking of the one who was dead yet is still powerful." He looked at both sides and then motioned them to follow him. "Come, it isn't safe to speak of this outside."

Link and Zelda exchanged glances and followed the man throughout the town. Every now and them, windows were suddenly shut when they passed, ill-looking children ran inside their homes before bolting the door behind them, and one or two men stopped talking to follow them with their eyes before whispering under their breaths. The man reached a battered shack and opened the door for them to enter; they did so and he closed the door behind them before heading toward the hearth and starting the fire.

"Sir, excuse me but, who are you?" asked Zelda. The man removed his cloak and, limping, sat in a patched up chair.

"My family was once of importance in the halls of Lorule Castle, now the Fortress of Darkness. I was once a friend of Princess Hilda, but now I'm nobody." He stared at them for a few seconds and added: "My name is Ravio."

"What happened to Lorule, Ravio?" asked Zelda.

"Oh, no," he said while shaking his head, "Lorule doesn't exist anymore. This is now called by the inhabitants and foreigners as The Dark Realm."

Link and Zelda looked at each other; they had thought that the Dark Realm would be a chamber of sorts, not a parallel world to Hyrule where Darkness had managed to corrupt the souls of its inhabitants and destroy the land. Link noticed a map stuck to the wall behind Zelda and he stood up, getting closer to examine it.

"That's the map of the Dark Realm, former Lorule," said Ravio.

"May I have it?" asked Link, examining it. He realized that it was an almost exact reflection of Hyrule. "It may be useful for me."

"Why? What business brings you here?" asked Ravio.

Link and Zelda stared at each other again. "¿How do we know that we could trust you?"

"Because I'm on your side," he replied, removing the bunny-mask. Link and Zelda gasped, for Ravio looked exactly as Link, except that he had black hair instead of blonde. "I knew from the moment you turned around that you were here to help, and that you come from the other world, Hyrule, the Light Realm."

"How do you know of Hyrule?" asked Zelda.

"I know everything about Hyrule, your Highness," replied Ravio, "for Princess Hilda and I studied our History together. We were only children the day that the Emissary of Darkness came and said that the land of Lorule would fall, and behind him entered the Guardian. Garoth announced that both Hyrule and Lorule were doomed and he vanished before our eyes. The Guardian then held up his sword and slaughtered the entire Royal Family. My mother took me away, she was a counselor of the castle, and we fled together. The Guardian then turned the land of Lorule into the Dark Realm and we have been decaying ever since then."

"What happened then?" asked Link.

"You mean, to me and my mother?" asked Ravio. "Well, she was killed and I survived, what more is there to know?"

"Who is this Guardian?" asked Zelda.

"You should know about him, as he once threatened to destroy your world even before it was created. I guess his real name is that which his servants use, so his name is Ghirahim."

* * *

><p>The Soldiers of Darkness soon arrived at the Village of Outcasts, followed by a horde of bokoblins and two large moblins.<p>

"Search every house," said the Captain. "Kill anyone who opposes."

The soldiers started to raid the village and the creatures ran free throughout the streets. People were screaming and swords could be heard unsheathed all around the place. The soldiers had been assigned a mission, and they intended to fulfill it.

* * *

><p>Link had just finished storing the map in his satchel when they heard the riot outside. Zelda drew out her sword and Link unsheathed the Master Sword, but Ravio stood in front of the door blocking the way.<p>

"No!" he yelled. "You must fulfill your mission and save both Hyrule and Lorule. I will keep them at bay while you flee south."

"South?" asked Link. "No, we must climb up the mountain! We must defeat the dragon that dwells there!"

"Necroga?" asked Ravio. "You can't access the trail into Death Mountain in your current state. Go south and find a man named Argo; he will be able to help you." He showed them a trapdoor under the carpet on the floor and opened it; it was the entrance to an underground tunnel. "Go, and may the Goddesses protect you."

Link and Zelda climbed down into the tunnel and Ravio closed the trapdoor over them. They ran through the path and stopped when they heard the blast of a bomb's explosion behind them and the whole tunnel shook.

"Ravio!" yelled Zelda, covering her mouth with her hands.

"He did what he thought was right," said Link, grabbing her arm. "We must go, come on!"

They turned around again and started running once more into the tunnel. They ran for several minutes until they reached an opening and got out at last. They looked back and saw that the smoke rising from afar, where the Village of Outcasts had been; Death Mountain loomed over the landscape, smoke rising from within its crater.

"Where do you think we can find this Argo guy?" asked Zelda.

"Ravio said that we should head south, so I'm guessing: if this world is an exact counterpart of Hyrule, then we should be able to find him where Faron Woods is supposed to be, though here it is called," he looked at the map that they had taken from Ravio's house and pointed at the south part of it, "Skull Woods."

"Not a very catchy name," said Zelda. "I wonder how Ravio could refer to Lorule as beautiful, if its locations have such creepy names."

"Well, this was his homeland," said Link. "I'm sure he thought it was beautiful."

"There they are!" yelled a voice behind them.

They turned around and saw several armed men and a few dark bokoblins running their way. Link and Zelda drew out their swords and readied to engage.

"There's too many of them," said Link.

"We should run then," said Zelda.

They turned around and ran as fast as they could, trying to put as much distance as possible from their pursuers. When they realized that running wouldn't help them at all Link turned around, raised the Master Sword upward and charged all his strength in it, the Triforce began to glow and he swung the blade in a wide swing. The energy arc sliced through their enemies and Link saw how they fell on the ground, some dead and other badly injured.

"Let's go," he said, and he and Zelda ran toward the edge of the woods that could still be seen far away.


	51. THE SKULL WOODS

**A/N: More surprises ahead! I feel a bit more confident as I write this part of the story. I'll try not to make it too long for you to know the end of it!**

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><p>The southern fields of the Dark Realm were full of chasms and rocky pits all around. The once green pastures were now dried up and decayed, a land of death were life had once thrived. A few evil flying creatures could be seen in the darkened sky, the sun a glowing orb barely visible through the smoky clouds, and the edge of the Skull Woods could be now seen closer with each step. They reached the first trees almost 5 hours after they had exited the tunnel and fled from the raid in the Village of Outcasts, and now the grim view of the trees in front of them, twisted and gray-barked, seemed to warn any visitors from getting inside.<p>

"Well, nobody's home, let's go," said Zelda.

"No," said Link. "According to the map, there is supposed to be a village all the way into the woods. We must get there and see if anyone knows this Argo guy."

"Link, do you _really_ think there is anyone living in this dark forsaken place?" asked Zelda.

"Who knows, but we must try."

They walked along the edge of the forest for a few minutes and found a sort of iron arch, rusted and twisted, which served as a doorway to a path that led into the forest. After a lot of arguing, Zelda finally agreed to follow Link and they ventured into the woods. Beams of light filtered through the treetops, and Link felt a chill going through his spine with each step they gave. They tripped several times with roots and rocks that protruded from the ground and more than once Link though he had seen a rood actually crawling out of the floor and twisting across their way.

"Zelda, take my bow and quiver and get ready to shoot at anything that moves," said Link.

Zelda complied and she stringed an arrow, ready to shoot. Link held up the Master Sword, its lilac light slightly illuminating the way in front of them, and they gave a few more steps forward. There was a rustling of leaves above them and Zelda screamed, aiming with the bow upward and trying to find the source of the sound. Link held up a hand and they both looked around, staying alert at the first sign of movement. There was another rustling and a loud crack of a tree branch breaking and an enormous skulltula fell in front of Link; a second fell behind Zelda and she gasped while tensing the string of the bow and looking at the spider.

"Next time I tell you we should leave, you listen to me," said Zelda.

"Just aim and fire!" yelled Link. Zelda released the string and an arrow sunk into one of the spider's eyes, while Link jumped forward and sunk the Master Sword into the ground, sending an electric shockwave toward the other.

Both creatures writhed in pain and lunged at them. Link pulled out the Master Sword and jumped onto one of the spiders, while Zelda jumped sideways, rolled on the floor and shot another arrow into the other spider's belly; when it raised its head, standing on its hind legs, Zelda shot another arrow straight into its heart, killing it. Meanwhile, Link struggled to hold onto the back of its own spider, which was now turning and jumping in a crazy-bull fashion. He sunk the Master Sword to the hilt into the beast's head and fell forward when the skulltula stumbled dead on the floor.

"Link, are you ok?" asked Zelda.

"I'm ok," he said, standing up and retrieving the Master Sword from the carcass. "We should move on before any other of these shows up.

They ran into the woods, encountering a few more skulltulas along the way, until it got too dark for them to see. They gave up when they reached a meadow full of dry trees and mossy rocks.

"It must be night already," said Link. "I think we should stop until it dawns again. Let's gather some wood and light a fire."

"Don't you think it will attract more enemies?" asked Zelda.

"I'm sure it will," sighed Link, "but we can't wander too much in the dark, can we?"

They managed to form a pile of dried roods, branches and bark and Link used his flit to light it up, trying for several minutes until they finally managed a spark. The fire soon lured a few thumb-sized, beetle-like, buzzing bugs that fluttered around the hearth (much to Zelda's dismay) and Link managed to shoot a bunny-like creature which ended up tasting horribly (even after cooking it dry) and they had to throw it away.

Link took the first watch, and Zelda soon dozed off despite the bugs that were starting to come in larger numbers. About an hour later, Link found himself swatting bugs with his mirror shield until the number was too large for him to be able to control them on his own. Zelda was awoken by the racket that Link was mounting, swinging his shield back and forth and slicing through the air with his sword. She gasped and wondered who she could have slept with the loud buzzing and reached for a large wooden slab to swat some of the bugs.

"What the hell is going on?!" yelled Zelda.

"I don't know!" replied Link, swatting another bug with his shield. "But I sure don't like it!"

The bugs then started to revolve around them faster than before, and Zelda screeched in horror as she felt their spiked legs clinging to her clothes and skin, scratching her here and there. Link saw no other way out, and he was about to cast the Din's Fire when he heard a rustle of footsteps running through the woods, he then saw a cloaked figure jump into the clearing, run toward the hearth, and toss some sort of stone into the fire. The fire turned then purple and started to emit a strange odor and, like if repelled by it, the swarm of bugs quickly buzzed away into the forest.

Zelda and Link panted and fell on their knees, their faces and necks full of scratches from the bugs' legs. The stranger approached them and lowered his wood, revealing his face; when Link looked up he felt his heart race inside his chest and tears started to swell his eyes.

"Are you both ok?" asked the man, looking at Link almost as surprised as he was. Link just looked at him, speechless, while Zelda looked from one to the other. "Are you ok?" he repeated in a more demanding way.

"We… we're ok," intervened Zelda. "Thank you, sir."

The man turned around to look at Zelda and opened his eyes wide.

"Is this some sort of trick from the forest?!" he cried out, as he raised his eyes into the top of the trees. "Let me be at peace!"

"Sir…" began Zelda, but the man sprinted back into the woods.

"Link, we must follow him," urged Zelda pulling Link's arm, but then she realized he was crying. "Link, what's wrong?"

"He's my dad…" said Link, "or… or at least he looks like him, just as Ravio looked like me." He got up and, before Zelda was able to say anything, he ran behind the man with Zelda in hot pursuit.

* * *

><p>They followed the rustling sound of running footsteps ahead of them until they reached a small decayed village, apparently abandoned from all life except for the light coming from inside a small cottage in the middle of it. Link fell on his knees and couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Zelda knelt beside him and hugged him, for she knew about Link's father from the time that Tara had been locked up in the Castle with her and Viacka and she had told them how she had been captured.<p>

"Link… we must go to him…" said Zelda.

"Yes, I'm sorry," said Link, and he wiped his tears and stood up.

They walked toward the cottage and knocked on the door. They heard a metallic sound of a blade being pulled out of its sheath and the door slammed open, the man that looked like Link's father pointing at them with a rusty blade.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked imperatively. "You are not my son and you are not the princess, so don't try to deceive me, you demons!" he raised his sword, ready to strike them.

"NO, WAIT!" screamed Zelda, and she fell on her knees in front of the man.

"Zelda, no!" shouted Link.

The man reacted to Zelda's name, dropping the sword behind him and giving a few steps backward. He looked at them with a strange look on his face, like if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Zelda stood up and Link stepped in front of her.

"We are not demons," he explained. "We come from a parallel world to Lorule, called Hyrule, the Light Realm. My name is Link, and this is Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"So…" said the man, "so it is true, then. The legends are true."

"We were sent by a man named Ravio, of whom I'm his Hylian counterpart, in search for a man named Argo."

"Ravio… Ravio…" whispered the man, absentmindedly. Link noticed that, though there was a great resemblance to his father, he was clearly malnourished and a bit crazy. "Yes, my Ravio…"

"Sir," asked Zelda, "are you him? Are you Mr. Argo?"

"Yes… yes… but you can drop the 'Mr.', your highness," he replied with an absent look. "So my Ravio is alive… yes…"

Link and Zelda exchanged a quick glance, for none of them had the heart to tell Argo about what had happened to Ravio. They decided to wait until Argo paid them further attention before attempting to go on with their conversation. It took a few minutes, but then Argo looked back at them and smiled.

"Hi, can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes," repeated Link. "We were sent by Ravio to find you. He said that you could help us gain access to Death Mountain Trail."

"So, my son said that?" asked Argo. "Did he tell you I left? How bad a father I was? I never meant to leave! I was cast away from the Lorulean Royal Guard just a couple years after he was born, but I always sent his mother a bagful of rupees! She always sent me pictures of him, how big he was getting, how strong he was. I also wrote to him sometimes, when he got older, but I never sent the letters. I was scared you know? I thought that he may have resented me for not being there. But he knew about me after all. I thought that his mother would have raised him to think that he was a bastard, with no father, no fancy bloodline… What did my boy tell you?"

Zelda's eyes were full of tears. Link held her close and looked up at the man who resembled his father so much, but had been to Ravio the complete opposite to what his own father had been, who had always been there for him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Link spoke up again.

"He told us that you could help us access the path into Death Mountain," he repeated.

"Oh, but help you I can; however, you must bring me something first," replied Argo.

"What is it?" asked Link.

"The key," said Argo. "You will first need to get the shiny key that opens the portal back into the Light Realm, but that only works for those who, like you, belong to it."

"Were can I find this key?" asked Link.

"Oh, the key… it has been lost for so long. I heard that the Sages of Lorule hid it deep inside the forest, but nobody has ever managed to get it, or maybe nobody has had the courage? Oh, I don't remember anymore."

"Where did they hide it?" asked Link.

"Where, he asks?" muttered Argo to himself. "Well, maybe I should tell him that it's buried deep inside the Skeletal Catacombs." He turned to face Link, who was still looking at him impassively. "What are you waiting for? Head east from here and enter the cave into where the spirits of the forest dwell. Maybe you'll get the key, maybe not. Let's see if you have sufficient courage."

Link nodded and, without further words, he and Zelda exited the cottage. They ran toward the path that led east, out of the village wondering all along how to tell him that Ravio was no longer alive.


	52. TWISTS, TURNS AND A CREEPY MAZE

**A/N: New chapter ready! *cickets* Hey, what's up? Where is everybody? o.o I hope you are still liking the story. I'm adding a few more twists in this chapter and more suspense and questions to riddle your brains. I'm happy because I have new followers! :D Well, hope you like the turns this story is about to take. AND REMEMBER, the review button doesn't bite :'( *snifs***

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><p>Link and Zelda kept walking along the path east. As the trees around them seemed to be all dried up, the cloudy sky was perfectly visible above them, giving them a bit more of light. The full moon could be barely seen through the clouds and a few creatures soared away. About half an hour into the path, Link saw a purple light ahead.<p>

"Get the bow ready," said Link, as he drew out the Master Sword.

They approached the source of the light and sensed the same odor that they had smelled when Argo had repelled the bugs earlier before. They could now see a wide clearing ahead, a purple fire lit in the middle of it, a small band of bokoblins gathered around it; another one of them had a small lit lantern in his hand and was pacing around the meadow, examining its surroundings.

"You get the ones by the fire, I'll get the one who is alone," said Zelda.

"Got it," agreed Link.

They went different ways and soon Link heard the rustle of leaves when the patrol bokoblin fell to Zelda's ambush. The rest of the campers rose to their feet and looked around the meadow, scanning the area for the source of the sound, and Link took the chance to jump out of the woods and stab a bulky one with a red cloth tied to its arm, presumably the leader, with the Master Sword. The campers mounted a racket and one of them grabbed Link from behind, trying to choke him with his arms. Link tried to break free and then he heard the whistle of an arrow by his ear as it sunk into the bokoblin's head.

"SHIT!" he yelled out of shock. Two more arrows stroke down a couple more bokoblins and the remaining ones fled into the woods.

"Are you ok?" asked Zelda, jumping out of her hiding place with bow in hand; the lamp was now hanging from her waist.

"Are you crazy?!" yelled Link. "You could have killed me!"

"I may be very lousy with my sword fighting skills, Link," she replied. "But I know I'm a fairly good archer."

"Yeah, I know, but…" stuttered Link, slightly ashamed. "You got the lamp," he said, trying to divert the conversation.

"Piece of cake," she replied with a smile, holding the lamp up in her hand; the fire inside was slightly dimmed. "We may need to get some more oil, though. I doubt it will last long."

"Let's check the camp," replied Link.

They fumbled through the bags and rucksacks that the bokoblins had left lying around the campfire and managed to recover two bottles of oil for the lamp and a small bag full of purple pebbles. They realized that the pebbles were to be used on campfires as repellant to the bugs they had encountered before, as they had the same odor that they had smelled when the bugs had been scared away.

"I think we can move on now," said Link.

They ventured further into the meadow and stood in front of a large rocky formation. It was shaped as a skull of some giant creature and its entrance was slightly covered with cobwebs and moss.

"I'll keep an eye out here," proposed Zelda full of hope.

"No way, I'm not leaving you here all by yourself," replied Link, and she sighed before following him into the catacombs.

* * *

><p>Ghirahim walked through the halls of the Fortress of Darkness and headed toward the dungeons. The moblin who was keeping watch saw him from afar and hurriedly unlocked the door for him.<p>

"Is the prisoner awake?" he asked.

"I don't know, my Lord," squealed the moblin.

Ghirahim entered the dark room and saw movement in the darkest corner of the farthest cell. He walked up to it and smiled.

"Feeling cozy?" he asked, but there was no response except for a faint whimper. "Don't worry, soon you will be let out of this cell at last, and you will serve as my pawn in my war with the Light World." There was a rustling sound and Ghirahim saw the shadow crawl further into the darkness. "One would think that you would have gotten used to this place after so long, it's actually better than your last cell, you now have a bed!" Ghirahim laughed as he pointed at the large mound of hay that was gathered by one side of the cell. "Sleep well tonight, and eat something, for I need you alive…"

He tossed a hard piece of bread inside the cell and left, just as he saw a dirty and bony hand reach out from the dark and grab the bread. The guard locked the door again as Ghirahim left the cell block and bowed to him.

"Don't let the prisoner do anything stupid," ordered Ghirahim.

"I won't," replied the moblin. "Prisoner must survive."

Ghirahim nodded, batted his cape and left the dungeons back to his room. He had lost track of how many ages he had been waiting for this day to come, but he felt that his moment was finally near.

* * *

><p>Link held the lamp up in front of him while Zelda, arrow ready, covered him from behind. They had had some trouble adjusting his eyes to the darkness again, and they felt tired as they hadn't had any chance to sleep. The cave seemed to be a maze of rocks, cliffs and rotten, wooden bridges; more than once Link could have sworn they had passed the same place twice already. They were now walking along the edge of a cliff, the path along the wall of the cavern just wide enough to allow them to walk one behind the other. The air was dense and dusty, and Zelda realized that there were hollow spaces all the way through the wall, skeletal remains lying inside them. They crossed another bridge, one at a time, and then the light of the lamp flickered started to dim away.<p>

"Great," said Zelda. "I told you we should have refilled it before entering."

"Cut it out and help me," said Link, pulling out the glowing Master Sword to shed some light while Zelda uncorked a bottle of oil and refilled the lamp. The light flickered alive again when Zelda managed a spark with the flint and they both heard a growling nearby; Link turned around again just in time to see the largest wolfos he'd ever seen looking straight at him, showing its fangs and raising its claws.

"Link, watch out!" screamed Zelda, aiming with her bow at the creature.

Link raised his shield in time to block the wolfos' sharp claws from slicing him open, but the shock made him stumble backward. He tripped and lost his balance by the edge and he reached out a hand just in time to stop his fall. Zelda screamed in horror as she saw Link hanging from the edge of the cliff, the dark pit below ready to embrace him. She set down the lamp and drew out her sword and swung it in front of her, trying to scare away the growling creature that was slowly approaching Link.

The wolfos ignored Zelda and raised one of his paws, ready to strike at Link's head, and she closed her eyes as she ran forward, stabbing the beast on one side, the tip of the sword coming out from its chest. She pulled back the sword as the wolfos howled in pain and fell into the darkness below; she dropped the sword, which clanked on the ground, and grabbed Link's wrist while trying to pull him back up. There was a growling sound behind her.

"Link?" she murmured in fear.

"There is one behind you…" muttered Link.

Link slowly handed her the Master Sword and she grabbed the hilt with trembling fingers. The sword felt cold and heavy in her hand, but she gathered all her strength while Link nodded silently.

"NOW!" he yelled.

There was an angry barking sound as the wolfos jumped toward them and Zelda swung the sword with a swift move, describing an arc upward. The blade cut straight through the beast's neck, the head falling forward and the body slumping next to the Princess. She left the Master Sword by her side and pulled him up, back into the cliff.

"Nice one…" Link congratulated her.

"I think I'm getting the hang of swords," smiled Zelda.

"Let's go," said Link, grabbing the Master Sword and the lamp from the floor while Zelda grabbed her own blade and stood up.

"Link, do you actually trust that Argo was speaking truth?" she asked as they resumed their journey into the dark. "I mean, do you think this 'key' actually exists?"

"I guess we will find out soon," replied Link, as the path turned into a steep staircase leading down into the depths of the ground.

"I just hope we're not pursuing some ghost of his mind," said Zelda, as they started to go down the steps into the darkness.

* * *

><p><strong><em>-Back in Hyrule-<em>**

Taglo arrived into Faron Village with the last rays of sunlight. So far the dark cloud that had been expanding from Hyrule Castle had covered almost the entire fields, but the Faron Woods still remained untouched. Nico gave voice of his arrival from the watch tower and the gate into town was flung open. Mr. Durian and Mr. Regol welcomed him to the village as he got off from Epona, whom he had recovered from the Sheikah Hidden Village. Tara ran toward them and hugged the mare's neck tightly.

"Oh my, she's alright!" she cried.

"She is a great ride, Tara," smiled Taglo.

"Are you ok?" asked Mr. Durian. "Where are Link and the other girl? What about the Princess?"

"Link and the Princess have crossed into the Dark Realm," explained Taglo. "Oreana and I have parted ways and are searching for survivors."

"My Lady is in danger?" asked a trembling voice behind Tara. Taglo turned and saw Viacka, all cleaned up and looking healthier than he had ever seen her, a frightened expression in her face.

"Don't worry Viacka, Link is with her," comforted her Taglo smiling at her.

He had never paid much attention to the girl, always being busy with their quest; however, he noticed how different she looked now: she had gotten rid of her dirty and messed-up royal maid attire and was dressed in a simple beige gown, presumably Tara's, with a brown leather vest on top of it. She was no longer wearing the headwear that was part of her usual clothing, and she had her hair down to her chest in black curls. She was looking healthier than the last time he had seen her, but her light brown eyes were still filled with fear.

"Hey, you're with us?" asked Mr. Regol.

"Yeah, sorry!" replied Taglo, jerking back to them embarrassed.

"I was asking you if you could please tell us what's going on, what is going to happen next," said Mr. Durian.

Taglo sighed and nodded. "It's a long story," he said. "We should go inside."

Tara and Viacka headed with Epona to the stables, while the three men headed toward Mr. Regol's workshop.


End file.
